Thanks to the widening of the Panama Canal, the Port of Baltimore once again sets a new record this quarter, with overall cargo intake increasing 4.8 percent. The port processed 2.56 million tons of cargo this last quarter, up from 2.4 million tons in the first quarter last year. Vehicle cargo increased 6 percent and container cargo increased 8 percent.

The Baltimore Business Journal reports:

The Port of Baltimore has handled more cars than any other U.S. port for six consecutive years while container growth was driven by the larger ships coming into the port through the widened Panama Canal.

The Port of Baltimore is one of only four U.S. East Coast ports with the necessary infrastructure — like a 50-foot deep berth and “super cranes” — to handle the larger container ships. Last year, a record 538,567 containers crossed the port’s public piers and brought in more than 10 million tons of general cargo for the first time.

The Port of Baltimore has also been recognized for efficiency by the Journal of Commerce. The port averages about 71 container moves per hour per berth, a rate faster than any other major American port.