Posted on April 29, 2026
Federal and state officials have announced nearly $40 million in funding to expand the Tradepoint Atlantic freight terminal, aiming to increase capacity by 70% and create over 8,000 jobs, enhancing Baltimore’s role in regional and global trade.
Federal officials and Maryland lawmakers have secured nearly $39.7 million in fresh support for a major freight expansion at Tradepoint Atlantic, a project they say could reshape cargo handling at the Port of Baltimore and deepen its role in the regional economy.
The money, awarded through the US Maritime Administration’s Port Infrastructure Development Program, will help advance the Sparrows Point Container Terminal at the former Bethlehem Steel site in Baltimore County. Lawmakers say the build-out is expected to lift the port’s container capacity by about 70% and generate around 1,100 International Longshoremen Association jobs, while supporting thousands more across trucking, warehousing and related marine activity.
The announcement comes as Maryland officials continue to frame Sparrows Point as a long-term logistics and manufacturing hub. According to Tradepoint Atlantic, the terminal is projected to create more than 8,000 jobs and add over $1.5 billion a year to Maryland’s GDP by 2035. A federal permitting notice earlier this year also described the project as a 330-acre redevelopment that would include a new container terminal and intermodal yard, with the potential to roughly double Baltimore’s container capacity.
U.S. Rep. Kweisi Mfume, whose district includes the area, said the terminal would bring well-paid work to nearby communities and strengthen Baltimore’s standing as a commercial gateway. Senator Chris Van Hollen said the modernization effort would bolster union jobs while improving the port’s capacity, efficiency and reliability. Senator Angela Alsobrooks described the port as an economic engine for Maryland and said she would continue backing efforts to keep it competitive.
The funding follows a letter from Maryland lawmakers to US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy in support of the project, outlining plans for Phase 2 of the container yard expansion. That phase would develop about 22 acres and add upgraded infrastructure to move freight more efficiently.
Governor Wes Moore said the investment would support jobs and reinforce Maryland’s position in global trade. The latest award also builds on earlier federal backing for Tradepoint Atlantic, including $47.3 million announced in 2023 for an offshore wind manufacturing hub at the same site, underscoring the state’s push to turn Sparrows Point into a multi-use industrial centre.
Tradepoint Atlantic has also pressed ahead with other capacity upgrades, including a $35 million bulk cargo conveyance system announced last year to improve handling across its operations. Environmental planning has moved forward as well, with the company and terminal project releasing sediment analysis for dredged material placement in October.
Together, the projects point to a broader transformation at the port complex: one aimed at handling more cargo, attracting more private investment and linking Baltimore more tightly to East Coast and Midwest supply chains.
