ZIM Shipping Line Bringing New Route Focused On E-Commerce To Port Of Baltimore, Officials Say
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A new shipping line focused on e-commerce will soon be making regular stops at the Port of Baltimore.
ZIM Shipping Line, based in Israel, will begin the service from China and Southeast Asia to the U.S. East Coast with stops at the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore every other week, the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Port Administration announced on Monday.
In a few months, the Zim e-Commerce Baltimore express, as the service is known, will start weekly trips, officials said.
"ZIM's commitment to the Port of Baltimore is another indication that the international maritime shipping industry recognizes Maryland's role as a critical gateway to American markets," said Gov. Larry Hogan. "Maryland's Port has been a reliable and efficient partner for business throughout the pandemic, and our significant investments at the Port are growing capacity, jobs and our economy."
The company operates a fleet of close to 100 vessels.
MDOT MPA Executive Director William P. Doyle said the news comes following the recent arrival of four new cranes and the groundbreaking of the Howard Street Tunnel Expansion Project to allow for double-stacked cargo on trains traveling to and from the port.
"With our additional ultra-large, Neo-Panamax cranes, our future double-stack rail capabilities and an incredible network of regional distribution, fulfillment and sorting centers, Baltimore is extremely well-positioned to continue growing our container business and serving as number one e-commerce port in the nation," he said.
Additionally, the port also recently added a new Maersk line reaching Southeast Asia, Vietnam and China and a Mediterranean Shipping Co. line with stops in the Indian Subcontinent and Mediterranean.
