“As the Port of Baltimore continues to break cargo records and generate higher numbers of jobs, we want to make certain it remains one of the most secure seaports in the nation,” said Maryland Governor Larry Hogan. “This funding will help further our mission to ensure the security of the men and women who work at the Port, as well as the inbound and outbound cargo that comes through the port.”

For 10 consecutive years, the Port of Baltimore’s public marine terminals have received a top rating on an annual security assessment conducted by the U.S. Coast Guard. The new FEMA allocation will be used for three specific projects to help make the port’s security even stronger. One project will upgrade and add new security features to access control software that prevents unauthorized access to the public marine terminals. Another project will add three additional access control booths on the terminals. In the third project, MDOT MPA will incorporate additional mechanisms and upgrades to its cybersecurity platforms.

The Port of Baltimore generates about 15,330 direct jobs, with more than 139,180 jobs overall linked to port activities. In 2018, a record 43 million tons of international cargo was handled by the combined state-owned public and privately-owned marine terminals at the port. The value of the cargo in 2018 was $59.7 billion.