Port of Baltimore breaks ground on new grain transloading facility

The Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore yesterday (9 Apr) hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for a new grain transloading facility at the Seagirt Marine Terminal. Under a partnership agreement between Ports America Chesapeake and Frey Commodities, the new facility will make it easier for Maryland farmers to get their products to the port for export worldwide. The four-acre facility will include three grain silos, and be used to facilitate the export of soybeans, corn, wheat, and other agricultural commodities around the world. The facility is expected to be open and operational in August 2026. Once operational, the facility will function as a full-service grain elevator with the capacity to load more than 200 containers per week. The three silos will have a combined capacity of 60,000 bushels and support inbound shipments from both truck and rail.

Short line rail access to CSX and Norfolk Southern will enhance connectivity for Midwest producers, providing a more direct and efficient export route to markets through the Port of Baltimore.

Currently, there is no direct transloading facility at the Port of Baltimore to move grain and soybeans from trucks into containers for export shipping operations. Farmers currently need to place their grain into empty shipping containers located offsite, which are then picked up and brought into the Port. Under the new system, a farm truck will come directly into the Seagirt terminal, deposit its grain onto a conveyor system, which will transport it directly into a silo. Ports America Chesapeake will then remove the grain from the silo when it’s ready to ship and place it into containers for export operations.

This will enable the project to also be more environmentally beneficial by reducing offsite loading emissions. It will also significantly reduce truck miles, lower transportation costs, and streamline the supply chain for regional producers.

“This new partnership with Frey adds transloading capabilities at the Port of Baltimore and creates a more efficient, streamlined supply chain for farmers while strengthening the region’s competitive position,” said Mark Schmidt, president of Ports America Chesapeake. “Direct delivery to Seagirt reduces complexity and cost for producers and allows the Port to expand agricultural exports.”

“This is a significant achievement for Maryland farming, agricultural logistics, and the Port of Baltimore,” said Maryland Deputy Transportation Secretary Samantha Biddle. “Thanks to the unique partnership between Ports America Chesapeake and Frey, we will soon have a much more efficient, as well as cleaner and greener, way of moving different Maryland produced grains into international markets.”

“As the nation’s top port in the country for handling farm machinery, farms across the nation have long depended on the Port of Baltimore,” said Jonathan Daniels, Maryland Port Administration executive director. “This new transloading facility will be another way that our port separates from the pack in being the best agricultural port in the U.S.” “This project will be a major win for grain producers in Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania by providing a more efficient supply-chain model that connects them to growing overseas demand,” said Mike Adamchak, chief commercial officer at Frey. “It also strengthens our ability to connect producers across North America with global markets.”