Ramar Transportation
BAL · MD

Port of Baltimore (Helen Delich Bentley)

Top US auto + ro/ro port — 50-ft channel, deep Mid-Atlantic battery + chemical lanes

port brief

The Port of Baltimore is the top U.S. ro/ro (auto-import) port by volume and one of only a handful of East Coast ports with a fully ULCV-capable 50-foot channel. The Maryland Port Administration operates Seagirt Marine Terminal (containers, run by Ports America Chesapeake), Dundalk Marine Terminal (ro/ro + breakbulk), Fairfield (auto), Masonville, and North + South Locust Point.

For Ramar customers, Baltimore is the Mid-Atlantic gateway for Class 8 industrial chemicals, Class 9 EV-component / battery freight, and defense-vertical freight serving Aberdeen Proving Ground and the broader DC-Baltimore defense corridor. Baltimore is FTZ-eligible (FTZ #74), with on-dock CSX and Norfolk Southern rail.

The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse (2024) disrupted port access; the rebuild is in progress with channel-restoration milestones tracked publicly. Ramar dispatch monitors the post-bridge routing situation and adjusts drayage radius accordingly.

at a glance

150 mi
Drayage radius
Yes
Class 1 capable
50 ft
Channel depth
7h
From Ramar HQ
drive time
Authority
Maryland Port Administration (MPA)
Customs status
FTZCBP-bondedin-bond-transfer
Terminal operators
  • Ports America Chesapeake — Seagirt Marine Terminal
  • MPA — Dundalk Marine Terminal
  • MPA — Fairfield Auto Terminal
  • MPA — North + South Locust Point
  • Masonville Marine Terminal
Nearby military
  • Aberdeen Proving Ground
  • Naval Support Activity Bethesda
  • Joint Base Andrews
  • Fort Meade
services at BAL

All six Ramar services run from Baltimore

Open the BAL brief on any service to see how that capability operates at this specific port.

OPS·01

Integrated Port Drayage

Port-to-plant under one operator. No broker margin stack, no schedule drift between vendors.

Port Drayage at BAL

OPS·02

Dangerous Goods Transload

Container stuffing, port-side staging, and regulated logistics for Class 1 cargo across Atlantic Coast ports.

Transload at BAL

OPS·03

OTR High Security / Hazmat Transportation

Over-the-road high-security and hazmat transport for ammunition, explosives, and sensitive freight — placard-to-placard accountability.

OTR High Security at BAL

OPS·04

Secure In-Transit Holding

Schedule recovery when shipments can't move. Vessel late, terminal congested, regulatory hold — Ramar holds the load and the chain of custody.

In-Transit Holding at BAL

OPS·05

Ammunition-Grade Containers

Block-and-brace procedures plus direct ammo-grade container sourcing — no third-party broker layer between you and the unit load.

Container Prep at BAL

OPS·06

Integrated Logistics Model

The full chain: drayage + transload + holding + long-haul. One USDOT, one safety record, one chain of custody.

Integrated Model at BAL

OPS·07

Wilmington Fire Marshal Escort

City-permitted DG drayage to the Port of Wilmington with Fire Marshal escort. We replace the shipping-agent middle layer.

Fire Marshal Escort at BAL

OPS·08

Licensed Brokerage

Ramar's MC 300208 brokerage authority extends our reach when our own assets aren't available — but the customer relationship stays with us.

Brokerage at BAL
top industries at BAL

What we move through Baltimore

DEFENSE

Weapons & Defense Manufacturers

Multi-class freight logistics for firearms manufacturers and defense prime contractors — Class 1 and packaged hazmat under one SDVOSB operator.

port bal

Baltimore — Frequently Asked

Has the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse affected Ramar's Baltimore drayage?
Channel access has been progressively restored since 2024. Ramar dispatch monitors the active routing situation. Some lanes that previously crossed the bridge now route through I-895 / I-95 alternates with proportional lead-time adjustments.
Why does Baltimore matter for battery freight?
Baltimore is a heavy auto-import port, and the supply chain serving Mercedes-Benz, BMW, VW, and Subaru U.S. operations runs Class 9 lithium-battery component freight regularly. ULCV-capable 50-ft channel for the largest cell carriers.
Does Ramar drayage Class 1 freight at Baltimore?
Yes for Class 1.4 commercial lanes. Class 1.1 military freight in the area routes via Aberdeen Proving Ground or Norfolk Naval Weapons Station rather than commercial port handling.