Cranes in the Port of Baltimore

By Emma DeMan

Edited by Morgan White

Ship-to-shore cranes arriving in Baltimore with tugs SURRIE MORAN, MARK MORAN, HARRIET MORAN, CAPE ROMAIN and a US Coast Guard cutter. (Courtesy of Moran Towing)

The Port of Baltimore handles massive amounts of cargo every day, and the cranes at Seagirt Marine Terminal are the engines that make much of it possible. These Neo-Panamax ship-to-shore cranes are some of the most advanced cargo-handling machines in the world. Each crane can lift up to approximately 187,000 pounds (93 US tons)—about the weight of 16 adult elephants—and can move two containers at once using a twin-lift spreader.

Over the past ten years, the Port of Baltimore has rapidly expanded. From 2010 to 2020, container traffic increased dramatically, reflecting Baltimore’s growing role in global container shipping. To keep up with that growth, the port needed bigger, faster, and more reliable cranes. Baltimore stays a top choice for shipping because it’s close to major distribution points as well as major road and rail junctions. Faster cranes mean ships spend less time in port, products reach stores sooner, and local businesses stay competitive.

Ship-to-shore cranes located at Seagirt Marine Terminal. (Photo courtesy of Port of Baltimore Facebook)

The ship-to-shore cranes are shipped from China. Seagirt Terminal took possession of four in 2012. It reached its current complement of eight Neo-Panamax ship-to-shore cranes on September 9, 2021, when a heavy-lift vessel delivered four additional cranes from Shanghai, China. These massive cranes allow Baltimore to service the largest container ships transiting the expanded Panama Canal. Their arrival marked a major expansion of the port’s container-handling capability and reinforced Baltimore’s position as a leading East Coast deep-water container port. The four most recent cranes, delivered in 2021, traveled on the heavy-lift vessel ZHEN HUA 24, crossing the Indian Ocean, rounding Africa’s Cape of Good Hope, and then sailing across the Atlantic. The weather had to be carefully considered, especially during hurricane season. Upon arrival in Baltimore, after a two-month voyage, the heavy-lift vessel carrying the cranes passed under the Chesapeake Bay Bridge before the cranes were offloaded and installed at Seagirt Marine Terminal. Why does this matter? Each crane represents millions of dollars in investment and thousands of hours of planning to make Maryland’s port a global leader.

Each crane is tested twice—once where it is manufactured and again in Maryland after installation. Engineers from the manufacturer work alongside local operators to ensure everything runs perfectly. Testing includes extended operational trials with local labor, ensuring the cranes can safely handle the port’s high-volume workload. This careful process keeps operators and cargo safe while preventing costly delays.

These cranes are productivity powerhouses. Each is approximately 450 feet tall, weighs about 1,740 tons, and can reach across vessels 23 containers wide. Each ship-to-shore crane at Seagirt Marine Terminal achieves an average productivity of over 30 moves per hour, depending on cargo conditions, vessel configuration, and yard coordination. Under normal working conditions, this equates to roughly one container every two minutes. Together, these cranes help Seagirt Marine Terminal handle over 1.1 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) annually. They are powered by shore-supplied electricity rather than onboard diesel engines, reducing emissions compared to diesel-powered cargo-handling equipment. When the Panama Canal expanded for massive ships carrying more than 14,000 containers, Baltimore needed similar upgrades to stay competitive. Thanks to these cranes, the port can handle the biggest ships and the heaviest loads.

The cranes don’t just move containers—they move Maryland’s economy. They help the port increase revenue and support thousands of jobs, many filled by union labor trained through hands-on programs with simulators and supervised seat time. Skilled operators ensure smooth, safe cargo handling, which keeps shipping lines coming to Baltimore. Over 273,675 jobs in Maryland are affected by the port and its operations. Faster, more reliable cranes mean more jobs, faster deliveries, and stronger economic growth for the region.

The ship-to-shore cranes at Seagirt Marine Terminal have transformed the Port of Baltimore. They allow the port to handle mega-ships, move millions of containers, and support tens of thousands of jobs. These cranes aren’t just machines—they’re the backbone of Maryland’s trade, economy, and growth in the Mid-Atlantic region.