Port Of Baltimore Welcomes Largest-Ever Container Ship To Visit MD

BALTIMORE, MD — The largest container ship to ever visit Maryland sailed into the Port of Baltimore on Saturday.

The Evergreen Ever Max arrived at Seagirt Marine Terminal from the Samsung shipyard in Korea, Maryland Port Administration officials announced in a news release. Weighing in at 165,350 tons, the 1,200-foot-long vessel is longer than four football fields and has a capacity of 15,432 20-foot containers, officials said.

For comparison, the largest ship to call on the Port of Baltimore before the Ever Max was the Triton, which first visited in 2019 and has a capacity of 14,424 containers.

"It's no secret why these massive container ships want to call on the Port of Baltimore," Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld said in a release. "They know Maryland's Port is a valuable resource and a terrific partner in moving goods efficiently across the state and throughout the region."

According to officials, the massive vessel was constructed earlier this year. Its arrival in Baltimore illustrates "continued growth" for the port, according to Mark Schmidt, vice president and general manager of Ports America Chesapeake, which operates the Seagirt Marine Terminal.

According to officials, the Ever Max's arrival comes amid a strong year for the port. As of May 2023, containers and general cargo were up compared to 2022. Specifically, officials said roll-on/roll-off cargo was up 30 percent, containers were up 10 percent, and general cargo was up 8 percent.

The 2023 start follows a solid 2022 when the Port handled a record $74.3 billion in foreign cargo, officials said.