January 15th, 2025 – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has approved construction of a new ocean container terminal at the former Sparrows Point steel mill site, a development that could ultimately double container traffic through the Port of Baltimore.
The permit, issued on December 18th, clears the way for the $1 billion Sparrows Point Container Terminal project, a joint venture between Tradepoint Atlantic and Terminal Investments Limited, an affiliate of Mediterranean Shipping Co. The approval follows a comprehensive federal review that included completion of a final Environmental Impact Statement.
Since acquiring the former U.S. Steel property in 2014, Tradepoint Atlantic has transformed the site into a major logistics and industrial hub featuring warehousing, distribution centers, and marine facilities. The container terminal represents the first container-focused development along the site’s expansive Baltimore Harbor waterfront, complementing the existing bulk and roll-on/roll-off operations already in place.
The Sparrows Point Container Terminal will occupy approximately 330 acres within the Tradepoint Atlantic campus. Plans call for a 3,000-foot marine terminal and wharf equipped with up to nine ship-to-shore cranes, along with a container yard, gate complex, and an on-dock rail and intermodal yard to support efficient cargo movement.
Rail connectivity is a key feature of the project. Tradepoint Atlantic is served by both CSX and Norfolk Southern and operates its own short-line railroad, providing direct access to major domestic markets.
As part of the development, approximately 4.2 million cubic feet of material will be dredged to deepen the Sparrows Point Channel and turning basin to 52 feet, allowing the terminal to accommodate larger container vessels.
The permit approval follows another major infrastructure milestone for the region: the reopening of Baltimore’s Howard Street Tunnel. Rebuilt by CSX to handle double-stack intermodal trains, the tunnel’s modernization removes a long-standing bottleneck along the I-95 rail corridor and is expected to further enhance Baltimore’s competitiveness as a container port.
Together, the new terminal and improved rail access position the Port of Baltimore for significant growth in containerized cargo in the years ahead.
