NAWE leads bipartisan delegation on tour at Port of Baltimore

The National Association of Waterfront Employers (NAWE) hosted a bipartisan delegation of Members of Congress for a comprehensive port tour and industry policy briefing at the Port of Baltimore’s Seagirt Marine Terminal, operated by Ports America Chesapeake. The visit highlighted the critical role of marine terminals in national supply chain resiliency, economic growth, and U.S. competitiveness.

The Congressional delegation included:

• Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA-2), Ranking Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
• Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24), Ranking Member of the House Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee
• Rep. Nick Begich (R-AK-At Large), Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
• Rep. Sarah Elfreth (D-MD-3), Member of Congress representing the Port of Baltimore

The Members of Congress were led on a tour of the terminal’s container operations and discussed the facility’s regional and national economic impact. The Port of Baltimore is a key hub for automobiles, containers, bulk, and breakbulk cargo, supporting tens of thousands of jobs across Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic.

During an industry briefing following the tour, NAWE President Carl Bentzel presented NAWE’s top federal policy priorities which include expanding the Capital Construction Fund to Marine Terminal Operators, establishing a maritime trust fund, and rebuilding a domestic maritime industrial base.

During the tour, Bentzel emphasized these reforms are essential to strengthening the United States’ supply chain resilience and reducing reliance on foreign-built maritime equipment.

“America’s marine terminal operators are at the center of our supply chain,” said Bentzel. “With the right federal tools – including a modernized Capital Construction Fund and an industry-dedicated Maritime Trust Fund – we can rebuild domestic manufacturing, enhance our national security, and ensure America’s ports remain globally competitive for generations.”

During the tour, the delegation heard from President and Chief Executive Officer of Ports America Matt Leech and President of Ports America Chesapeake Mark Schmidt who discussed the terminal’s economic contributions, federal-state-local infrastructure partnerships such as the Howard Street Tunnel expansion, the role of federal grant programs—including the Port Infrastructure Development Program and Port Security Grants—in strengthening operational capacity; Managing Director of Tradepoint Atlantic Kerry Doyle who highlighted opportunities to rebuild the U.S. maritime industrial base by transforming historical properties into modern port and logistics assets; as well as Chief Financial Officer of Logistec Texas Howard who outlined strategies for growing terminal operations across regions and addressed the unique challenges and opportunities in breakbulk cargo handling operations.

NAWE expressed appreciation to the Members of Congress for their continued engagement on maritime and supply chain issues and underscored the industry’s commitment to working collaboratively with federal partners to advance U.S. economic and national security interests.