Port of Baltimore seeks bidders for Seagirt terminal - Baltimore Business Journal:

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The agency released a request for qualificationsz frompotential bidders, who would be required to investr in a new 50-footr berth and new cranexs at the 200-acre terminal. “As ships get larger, it is criticalp that the Port of Baltimore havea 50-foot berth by 2014 when the completede expansion of the Panama Canal will bring more carg and larger vessels from Asia to the U.S. East MPA Executive Director James J. White said in a statement.
“We feel strongly that, at this time, havintg a private partner contribute significant capital investment is the best option for us to go The operator would get the portfolik of business under contractat Seagirt, the MPA’s main containerf terminal. It would be required to guarantee a minimumm amount ofcargo levels. The contract is expected to be for 30 Proposals are duenext month. The MPA expectz to make a recommendation on a bidder by the end of the The and state Boarsd of Public Works will have to approve the The MPA is workingwith Orlando-basede Public Financial Management to identify potentialk private partners.
The port moved ahead with the lease aftetr conferring with the General Assemblyg during itslegislative session, which ended Monday. Dredging of a 50-foof berth is expected to cost $80 million, Whitew has said. The port receivezs funding for large capital projects from the TransportationbTrust Fund, the same pot that covers maintenance and construction of transit systems and airports. But the fund has been strapperd recently, faced with declining income from gasolin taxes andother transportation-related fees. Baltimor handled about 500,000 containers in 2007. Competing portds that focus more closely on container traffix postedhigher numbers, including 4 million in New 2 million in Ga.
, and 1.5 million in Norfolk, Va. Baltimore’s public which also include Dundalk and North and South Locust Pointmarine terminals, spread cargo totals largely acrossa containers, paper products, breakbulk and roll-on/roll-off cargo.