Gov. Hogan Visits Port Covington And Port Baltimore

BALTIMORE, MD —Gov. Larry Hogan on Wednesday visited Port Covington and Port Baltimore to highlight Maryland's continued economic recovery and job creation, the Office of the Governor said in a release.

According to the release, Hogan joined the launch of vertical construction of Chapter 1B at Port Covington, a mixed-use waterfront community in South Baltimore, and visited the dredging operation at the Port of Baltimore. Both projects are expected to bring thousands of jobs and generate million in economic activity for the region.

At the Port Covington event, Hogan called the project a shining example of the potential and the positive growth that Baltimore City needs.

"Today’s launch of vertical groundbreaking on Chapter 1B, which includes more than 1.1 million square feet of development, is the result of years of close collaboration between the State of Maryland, the City of Baltimore and the private sector to revitalize this great city, to reaffirm our position as the most innovative state in America, and to continue to show the world that Maryland truly is open for business," Hogan said.

In the Chapter 1B development, 20 percent of the residential units will be affordable dwelling units. Over the full buildout, Port Covington is projected to bring approximately 54,000 construction jobs to Baltimore City, and it will support or create an additional 25,000 jobs. The project also focuses on sustainability, accessibility, diversity, waterfront restoration and workforce and community development.

During a visit to the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore, the governor saw the dredging work underway at Seagirt Marine Terminal. The project is designed to create a second 50-foot-deep container berth, which will allow the port to accommodate two ultra-large ships simultaneously.

Hogan said that a second deep berth at the port, together with the expansion of the Howard Street Tunnel, will increase business, generate thousands of jobs in the region and solidify the Port of Baltimore as a critical hub for commerce up and down the East Coast.

"The fact that the port is already rebounding in a huge way from the economic impacts of COVID-19 is a credit to its workforce and the port's reputation in the industry. Having a second deep berth here will lift our capacity and our potential to another level," Hogan said.

Dredging for the new 50-foot-deep berth is being conducted by Corman Kokosing of Annapolis Junction, and it is expected to be completed this spring. Seagirt Marine Terminal is operated by Ports America Chesapeake under a 50-year public-private partnership with the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Port Administration.