Both maritime commerce and the ecology of the Chesapeake Bay are vitally important to Maryland. Each year, more than 2,000 cargo vessels and cruise ships call on the Port of Baltimore, moving approximately 40 million tons of cargo and generating $1.4 billion in revenue. As they travel, these ships pass through the Chesapeake Bay—Maryland’s natural treasure and the nation’s largest estuary.

As a result, the Maryland Port Administration has dual responsibilities. One is to ensure that vessels traveling to and from Baltimore have safe and navigable channels. The second is to support regional goals for clean water and healthy wildlife habitat in the Chesapeake Bay.

The Maryland Port Administration works with citizens, community organizations, and the best science available to meet these commitments. On this web site, you’ll discover how: 

• Safe Channels: Learn about the deep-water channel system that carries ships through the relatively shallow waters of the Chesapeake Bay, as well as the role of the Harbor Safety and Coordination Committee.
   
• The Dredging Program: Explore the need and process for dredging and the ways in which dredged material helps to restore wildlife habitat (including Hart-Miller Island and Poplar Island). Learn about in the Dredged Material Management Program, through which citizens and scientists play an active role in dredging decisions.
   
• Environment: Discover the role of Port partners in programs that protect and restore native species, add valuable Bay habitat, and convert paved schoolyards into much-needed green space for students.
   
• Outreach: Explore the tours and educational resources for learning about maritime trade, the dredging process, and the Chesapeake Bay. Citizens are also encouraged to share their questions and concerns by contacting or joining the Dredged Material Management Program.