"DIRECT CONNECTION" IS MADE BY MPT TO SERVE ALL OF OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITIES AND IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF OUR MEMBERS.

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LIVE FROM MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION, THIS IS "DIRECT CONNECTION" WITH JEFF SALKIN.

♪♪] >> JEFF: GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO YOUR "DIRECT CONNECTION."

WE BEGIN FINANCE WITH ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT BRIDGING THE BALTIMORE HARBOR.

WHY DID THE KEY BRIDGE FAIL?

AND WHAT KIND OF BRIDGE WOULD BED SAFEST REPLACEMENT?

JOINING US IS RACHEL SANGREE ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY WHITING SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING.

BEFORE WE START TALKING ABOUT A NEW BRIDGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON THE OLD BRIDGE AND WAS THERE SOMETHING IN THE DESIGN OR CONSTRUCTION THAT MIGHT HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE COLLAPSE?

>> HI.

THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME ON.

SO NO, I DO NOT THINK THERE WAS BY ALL ACCOUNTS THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE FRANCIS SCOTT KEY BRIDGE.

IT WAS A CONTINUOUS STEEL TRUCE BRIDGE.

WHICH MEANS IT WAS A STEEL TRUSS WHICH YOU CAN RECOGNIZE PIE SORT OF THE TRIANGULAR NATURE OF IT.

THE TRIANGLES CONNECTED TOGETHER.

WHAT MADE IT CONTINUOUS WAS THAT IT EXTENDED ACROSS FOUR SUPPORTS.

SO FOUR DIFFERENT PIERS THAT STEEL TRUSS WAS CONTINUOUS ACROSS ALL OF THEM.

SO WE STILL BUILD CONTINUOUS TRUSS BRIDGES.

THEY ARE SOMEWHAT LIMITED IN TERMS OF THEIR SPAN LENGTH.

ESPECIALLY IF WE COMPARE THEM TO CABLE SUPPORTED STRUCTURE WHICH I THINK YOU SHOWED ON THE SCREEN THERE.

BUT NOTHING INHERENTLY WRONG WITH THEM.

NOOSH WE'LL COME BACK TO THE CABLE BRIDGES THERE WAS A "NEW YORK TIMES" STORY THAT TALKED ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE CRITICAL BRIDGES.

MEANING THAT IF ANYONE SUPPORT PIER WENT OUT THE WHOLE THING WAS GOING TO GO OUT.

AND I'M TRYING TO THINK OF A LARGE BODY OF WATER THAT SPANNED BY ANYTHING THAT WOULD NOT FIT THAT CATEGORY.

YOU THINK ABOUT THE YOU IS PENSION BRIDGES THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE IN THE NEWS TODAY.

TWO TOWERS IF YOU LOSE ONE YOU LOSE THE WHOLE THING.

IS THERE AN ALTERNATIVE TO THAT?

>> SO I GUESS FIRST LET ME SAY THAT FRACTURE CRITICAL THAT TERMINOLOGY REFERS TO A SEAL BRIDGE OF MANY DIFFERENT FORMS IT MIGHT BE A TRUSS BRIDGE, IT MIGHT BE A BRIDGE WITH STEEL I BEAMS.

BUT IT REFERS TO A STEEL BRIDGE THAT HAS ATTENTION MEMBER THAT IS NOT REDUNDANT IF THAT TENSION MEMBER FAILS BY FRACTURING SO YOU CAN THINK OF IT IT LIKE A TEAR AND A TENSION MEMBER IS ONE WE PULL, IF THAT MEMBER FAILS THEN THE BRIDGE IS EXPECTED TO COLLAPSE OR AT LEAST NOT BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO PERFORM ITS FUNCTION.

THAT DOES NOT -- FRACTURE CRITICAL DOES NOT REFER TO A PIER COLLAPSING.

OR A PIER NOT BEING ABLE TO WITHSTAND THE FORCE FROM A VESSEL OF THE SIZE OF THE DALI THAT COLLAPSED THE PIER.

PIERS ARE ALWAYS CRITICAL YOU ARE RIGHT.

IF YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT BRIDGES ACROSS ANY WATERWAY, WE DON'T BUILD REDUNDANT SUBSTRUCTURES BUT WE DO SOMETIMES HAVE REDUNDANCY IN THE SUPER STRUCTURE THE PART WE THINK ABOUT MOSTLY WHEN WE THINK ABOUT BRIDGES THAT TRUSS OR THE SUSPENSION CABLES OR A CABLE SUPER STRUCTURE.

BUT THE SUBSTRUCTURE WE NEED THAT TO BE PERFORMING AND THERE IS NOT A TERM FOR THAT.

>> Jeff: LET ME REMIND OUR VIEWERS IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT BRIDGES WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE REPLACE THE KEY BRIDGE CALL THE NUMBER ON THE SCREEN OR SEND AN E-MAIL TO LIVE QUESTIONS@MPT.ORG/DONATE AND THAT BRINGS US TO THE DESIGN OF THE CABLE STATE BRIDGES THE ONE WE SAW THE PICTURE IS FROM SCANDINAVIA.

AND YOU SEE THESE MORE AND MORE.

THERE'S ONE THAT CROSSES FROM NEW JERSEY INTO STATEN ISLAND.

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF THIS SORT OF DISPIN?

>> -- DESIGN?

YEAH, SO, THE MAIN ADVANTAGE WE ARE THINKING ABOUT THE KEY BRIDGE VERSUS WHAT YOU ARE SEEING HERE, IS THAT WE CAN GET A LONGER STAND LENGTH THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE TOWERS.

IN THIS CASE WE CALL THE SUPPORT STRUCTURES THE PYLONS.

WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE CABLES COMING DOWN FROM.

BUT THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THOSE PYLONS CAN BE LONGER THAN IT WAS FOR THE FRANCIS SCOTT KEY AND THAT CONTINUOUS TRUSS STRUCTURE.

THE HISTORY OF BRIDGE DESIGN THE EVOLUTION, WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN TRYING TO SPAN LONGER AND LONGER DISTANCES.

CABLE SUPPORTED STRUCTURES HAVE ENABLED US TO DO THAT.

WHY THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE A GOOD CHOICE HERE IS IF THE SPAN LENGTH CAN BE LONGER THAT MEANS THE PYLONS ARE EVEN FURTHER AWAY FROM THE SHIPPING CHANNEL.

SO THERE IS A LOWER PROBABILITY THAT A VESSEL WOULD COLLIDE WITH ONE OF THOSE PYLONS AND DAMAGE IT.

>> Jeff: ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE ON LAND, I GUESS, WE'LL KEEP THE SHIPS FAR AWAY.

WHAT ARE THE OTHER DEVICES THAT COULD PROTECT A BRIDGE FROM A RUNAWAY SHIP?

I KNOW THE KEY BRIDGE HAD SOMETHING.

BUT I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS THE THING YOU READ ABOUT IS CALLED A DOLPHIN.

CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT A DOLPHIN IS?

>> YEAH, THAT BEST WAY TO THINK OF A DOLPHIN IS A VERY LARGE BLOCK, USUALLY A CYLINDER BUT A BLOCK OF CONCRETE THAT'S EITHER UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM FROM THE BRIDGE PIERS.

AND SO IF A VESSEL LOSES POWER OR IS OFF COURSE FOR WHATEVER REASON, IT CAN HIT ONE OF THOSE DOLPHINS BEFORE IT HIT THE BRIDGE PIER AND THAT MIGHT SLOW IT DOWN OR DIVERT IT INTO A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.

WHICHEVER THE CASE WOULD CAUSE úLESS DAMAGE TO THE PIER OR NOT BE ABLE TO HIT THE PIER.

SO, YEAH, I'M NOT ENTIRELY SURE THERE DOES SEEM TO BE DOLPHIN LIKE STRUCTURES ON EITHER SIDE OF THE PIERS AT THE FRANCIS SCOTT KEY BRIDGE.

THERE WERE ALSO FENDERS AROUND THE BASE OF THE PIERS AT THE KEY BRIDGE.

THOSE ARE REALLY FOR HELPING TO PROTECT THE PIERS IN THE CASE OF SMALLER VESSEL COLLIDING WITH THEM DIRECTLY.

>> Jeff: YOU PROBABLY HAVEN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY THE CHESAPEAKE BAY BRIDGE OR THE TWO SPANS ACROSS THE CHESAPEAKE BAY NEAR ANNAPOLIS BUT THEY DON'T APPEAR TO HAVE DOLPHINS.

YOU CAN'T SEE IS WHETHER THEY ARE SHALLOW ENOUGH WATER BY THE MAIN PIERS OR PYLONS THAT MIGHT STOP A SHIP.

WOULD IT BE REASONABLE TO TAKE A FRESH LOOK AT THOSE STRUCTURES THAT DATE BACK TO THE 1950s, 1970s?

>> SURE.

AND I THINK THAT ACTUALLY IS BEING DONE.

EVEN PRIOR TO THIS, THAT WAS BEING DONE.

IN THE WAKE OF THE SUNSHINE SKYWAY, BRIDGE COLLAPSE IN TAMPA, FLORIDA IN 1980, NEW BRIDGES WERE DESIGNED WITH EITHER BEING ABLE TO RESIST WITH A PIER EITHER BEING ABLE TO RESIST THAT COALITION OR OUTBOARD STRUCTURES THAT WOULD SLOW DOWN OR STOP OR DEFLECT AN ONCOMING VESSEL.

BUT YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE COST PROHIBITIVE TO GO BACK AND ADD THOSE PROTECTION MEASURES TO ALL OF OUR BRIDGES.

SO THERE ARE STUDIES THAT ARE DONE.

AND SOMETIMES PROTECTION MEASURES ARE ADDED.

THAT IS ACTUALLY BEING DONE IN DELAWARE.

BUT NOT ALWAYS.

>> Jeff: LET'S GRAB A PHONE CALL FROM MONTGOMERY COUNTY THIS IS MICHAEL.

MICHAEL THANK YOU FOR THE CALL.

GO AHEAD.

>> YES, THANK YOU.

SO YOU KNOW, THE MUD AND WEIGHT OF DOING -- MODERN WAY OF DOING THINGS IS TO DO AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT AND ALSO TO DO A RISK ASSESSMENT.

THE RISK ASSESSMENT COVERS A WHOLE RANGE OF POTENTIAL INITIATING EVENTS AND THE POSSIBILITIES AND THE SEQUENCES AND SO ON.

BEFORE SOMETHING IS BUILT, THE WEAKNESSES ARE ALREADY KNOWN.

AND THEY ARE CORRECTED.

SO I DON'T KNOW THIS MY QUESTIONS REALLY ARE WHAT WAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR THE BRIDGE THAT JUST FAILED?

AND WAS THERE A RISK ASSESSMENT?

>> Jeff: GREAT QUESTION.

I APPRECIATE THE PHONE CALL AND I WILL ADD ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CHANGED SINCE THE KEY BRIDGE WAS BUILT IN THE 70s, IS THE SIZE OF THE SHIPS, THE DISPLACEMENT OF THE SHIPS EXPLODED.

THE POTENTIAL IMPACT WAS SO MUCH GREATER.

>> RIGHT.

SO THAT THANK YOU, MICHAEL, FOR YOUR QUESTIONS.

THAT CHANGES THE RISK.

SO WE DO A RISK ASSESSMENT.

I HAVE NOT SEEN THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR THE KEY BRIDGE.

BUT WE DO DO RISK ASSESSMENTS IN THE CASE OF PIER COLLISION WE LOOK AT THE PROBABILITY THAT THE VESSEL GOES OFF COURSE.

AND AS WELL AS THE COMPOUNDED PROBABILITY THAT GOING OVER COURSE IT HITS A PIER AND THEN ALSO THAT THAT PIER COLLAPSES AS A RESULT OF THAT IMPACT.

AND ALL OF THAT GOES INTO ASSESSING THE RISKS TO THAT PIER.

>> Jeff: RACHEL, HERE IS AN E-MAIL QUESTION FROM A VIEWER FRANK IN PARKTON.

WHILE THE BRIDGE COLLAPSED CAN THE STANDING APPROACHES BE RETAINED FOR A NEW BRIDGE?

OR BETTER TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE STRUCTURE ANEW?

I GUESS BY LENGTH MOST OF THE BRIDGE, JUST THE TRUSS CAME DOWN AND THE APPROACHES STILL STAND.

HOW WOULD AN ENGINEER LOOK AT THAT?

>> YEAH, I THINK THEY WOULD ASSESS THE EXISTING STANDING STRUCTURE TO ENSURE THAT IT IS SAFE, UNDAMAGED.

AND IT COULD SUPPORT THE LOADS, OF COURSE, OF ANY NEW STRUCTURE.

SO IF LET'S SAY A LONGER SPAN STRUCTURE WAS CONSTRUCTED THAT WOULD MEAN THERE WAS ACTUALLY MORE LOAD ON THOSE END STANDING PIERS SO YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO SUPPORT WHATEVER THE NEW LOADS ARE THAT WERE GOING TO BE ACTING ON IT.

ALL ASSUMED WE WOULD HAVE THE SAME NUMBER OF LANES AND ALL OF THAT AS WELL.

>> Jeff: JUST HAVE TIME FOR A GRAR R PARAGRAPH.

ANOTHER VIEWER WANTS TO ASK YOU TO DISCUSS THE COST AND SAFETY AND LONGEVITY OF BRIDGES VERSUS TUNNELS?

>> THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION.

AND I DO BELIEVE THAT THE TUNNEL WAS INVESTIGATED AT THE TIME THAT THE FRANCIS SCOTT KEY BRIDGE WAS CONSTRUCTED.

AND FOUND TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE EXPENSIVE THAN THE BRIDGE OPTION.

AND SO YEAH, I'M NOT AN EXPERT ON TUNNELS.

I WILL PREFACE THIS BY SAYING THAT.

BUT THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING.

MORE EXPENSIVE AND IN TERMS OF THE MAINTENANCE AND LONGEVITY, YEAH, I COULDN'T SPEAK TO IT RIGHT NOW.

>> Jeff: WE WILL LEAVE IT THERE.

RACHEL SANGREE AN ASSOCIATE TEACHING PROFESSOR IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY WHITINGS SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU.

>> YOU'RE WELCOME.

>> Jeff: AND JOINING US NOW IS AARON TOMARCHIO EXECUTIVE VICE-PRESIDENT OF TRADEPOINT ATLANTIC.

WE APPRECIATE YOU MAKING TIME FOR US.

FOR PEOPLE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THIS AREA, WHERE YOU ARE LOCATED IS THE OLD SPARROW'S POINT SHIPYARD AND STEEL MILL.

A LITTLE BIT EAST OF THE NORTH SIDE OF THE KEY BRIDGE 0 SITE DOES THAT SOUND RIGHT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME ON, JEFF.

EXACTLY RIGHT.

I'M HERE TRADEPOINT ATLANTIC, FORMER HOME OF BETHLEHEM STEEL ADJUSTED TO THE SOUTHEAST OF THE KEY BRIDGE.

AND WITHIN THE PORT OF BALTIMORE.

>> Jeff: I FLEW OVER THAT SITE.

I WAS ON A CONNECTING FLIGHT FROM PHILADELPHIA TO BALTIMORE, THIS IS EIGHT OR NINE YEARS AGO.

AND YOU DON'T GET TOO HIGH IN THE AIR.

I HAD A GREAT VIEW OF THE SITE WHICH WAS CLEARED AND LEVELED AT THAT POINT.

AND IT LOOKED LIKE AND THE ONE HAND IT LOOKED LIKE AN OPPORTUNITY AND ON THE OTHER HAND IT LOOKED LIKE A MESS.

WHAT HAS HAPPENED THERE SINCE?

>> YOU ARE RIGHT.

WE INHERITED A MESS IN 2014.

IT WAS A STEEL MILL THAT HAD BEEN CLOSED IT WAS UNDER GOING DEMOLITION.

WE DEMOLISHES 17 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF THE COMPLEX TO MAKE WAY FOR A GLOBAL LOGISTICS FACILITY THAT TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE BACKBONE OF THE FORMER STEEL MILL WITH A DEEP WATER PORT AND RAIL ACCESS AND HIGHWAY ACCESS.

AND THEN 3300 ACRES OF LAND THAT WAS ZONED INDUSTRIAL TO BE ABLE TO PUT BACK TO REUSE.

OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TO CLEAN UP THE SITE.

AND BUILD BACK JOBS.

RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 50 WORLD CLASS TENANTS SPANNING MANY INDUSTRIES THAT ARE OPERATIONS HERE AT TRADEPOINT.

FROM THE LIKES OF McCORMICK Mc, UNDER AR MER, VOLKSWAGEN, BMW AND TOGETHER THEY ARE EMPLOYING 13,000.

BUT JUST WITH THE ACTIVITY THAT THIS SITE GENERATES ON A DAILY BASIS, WE HAVE 20,000 PEOPLE A DAY THAT COME TO VISIT AND DO BUSINESS HERE AT TRADEPOINT ATLANTIC.

NOT AT THE HEIGHT OF THE STEEL MILL AREA WITH 30,000 PEOPLE A DAY, BUT I TELL YOU WE'VE COME A LONG WAY IN THE LAST 10 YEARS.

>> Jeff: IT'S REMARKABLE.

AND THE JOBS THAT WERE LOST IT WAS A DIFFERENT TIME.

THEY WERE LARGELY UNION JOBS, HIGH PAYING YOU THINK ABOUT THE EASTERN BALTIMORE COUNTY ECONOMY GENERAL MOTORS ON BURNING HIGHWAY.

YOU WERE MAKING TELEPHONES AT WESTERN ELECTRIC.

BUT IT'S COME BACK AND YOU'RE NOT STOPPING HERE, RIGHT?

WHAT IS IN THE FUTURE?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WE'VE ACTUALLY INTEGRATED THE SITE INTO THE BALTIMORE SPORT ECONOMY WHICH EASTSIDE OF BALTIMORE IS HEAVILY DEPENDENT ON THE PORT ECONOMY THAT IS GENERATED IN AND AROUND THE PORT OF BALTIMORE.

AND TO CONTINUE TO GROW THAT PORT ECONOMY WE HAVE A PLAN THAT WE ANNOUNCED TWO YEARS AGO WITH TERMINAL INVESTMENT LIMITED A SUBSIDY OF MSC.

THE WORLD'S LARGEST SHIPPER THAT HAS DECIDED TO DIRECTLY INVEST WITH US IN THE PORT OF BALTIMORE TO BUILD A BRAND NEW CONTAINER TERMINAL.

THAT WILL EXPAND THE CONTAINER CAPACITY BY 70%.

THIS WAS A PROJECT ANNOUNCED AND IS IN THE PLANNING STAGES BEFORE THE COLLAPSE OF THE KEY BRIDGE.

AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO RIGHT NOW IN ADDITION TO HELPING WITH THE RECOVERY EFFORTS UNDERWAY AND TAKING ON SOME OF THE DISPLACED CARGO THAT WAS MEANT FOR OTHER PARTS OF THE PORT, WE ARE LOOKING TO ADVANCE THIS PROJECT A LITTLE SOONER.

THE PROJECT WE'RE HOPING TO ADVANCE IT TO THE END OF 20 WOULD 6.

AND WE THINK BE DOING THAT WE ARE ABLE TO SEND A STRONG MESSAGE TO THE GLOBAL PORT ECONOMY THAT BALTIMORE IS GOING TO BE BIGGER, BETTER, MORE RESILIENT AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE.

AND THIS PORT IS POISED FOR INCREDIBLE FUTURE GROWTH.

>> Jeff: HOW HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO ASSIST IN THE RECOVERY EFFORTS SO FAR?

>> SO THE WORK TEAM GOT TO WORK SHORTLY AFTER WE GET THE HORRIBLE NEWS ON THAT TUESDAY MORNING.

ALL WAKING UP TO A NEW REALITY AN ALTERED SKYLINE THATS WITH I REMEMBER BEING HERE FOR 10 YEARS.

THAT BEAUTIFUL SUNSETS FRAMED BY THAT KEY BRIDGE IS GONE.

AND WE WENT INTO ACTION TO CLEAR THE FIVE ACRES OF LAND ON THE WESTERN SIDE OF WHAT WE KNOW AS THE POINT.

AND REACTIVATED A COAL PIER USED TO SUPPORT THE STEEL MILL.

AND WE'RE USING THAT AS A STAGING FACILITY FOR THE CREWS THAT HAVE BEEN CONTRACTED TO BRING DEMO FROM THE KEY BRIDGE.

SO THAT BIG PIECES OF THE KEY BRIDGE ARE BEING BROUGHT ON A BARGE FROM THE RECOVERY SITE TO THIS STAGING FACILITY WHERE THEY ARE FURTHER BROKEN DOWN AND THE BRIDGE WILL BE RECYCLED INTO MAYBE NEW STEEL AGAIN.

WHO KNOWS.

BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING ON THE RECOVERY SIDE.

AND ON THE TERMINAL SIDE WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TO HELP WITH THE REDIRECTED CARGO TRYING TO MAKE SURE IT COMES INTO THE PORT OF BALTIMORE AND STILL GETS USED AND PROCESSED SOMEHOW WITHIN THE PORT RATHER THAN GO TO AN ALTERNATIVE PORT.

WE CAN'T REPLACE ALL THE CAPACITY THAT THE PORT OF BALTIMORE HAS BUT WE'RE ABLE TO DO OUR PART AND IT'S BEEN BUSY OUR TEAMS HAVE BEEN WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK TO MAKE SURE WE'RE MAXIMIZING THREW PUT WITH THE CARGOES.

>> Jeff: WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE ON A DAILY BASIS?

YOU DON'T HAVE THE GIANT CRANES TO DEAL WITH THE CONTAINER SHIP YET BUT YOU CAN HANDLE SOME OF THE CARGO THAT'S ROLLED ON AND ROLLED OFF AS THEY SAY.

AND LIKE WHERE DOES IT GO ONCE YOU GUYS RECEIVE IT?

OR HOW DO YOU ACCEPT IT AND PUT IT ON A SHIP WHEN THAT IS NOT THE BUSINESS YOU ARE?

>> WE WERE IN THAT BUSINESS.

WE HAVE TRADEPOINT TERMINALS.

WE MODERNIZED THE WATERFRONT OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE ROLL ON ROLL OFF COMMODITIES AS WELL AS BULK AND BREAKABLE COMMODITIES.

WE HAVE ACTIVE CUSTOMERS THAT WE'VE BEEN SERVING FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

BMW AND VOLKSWAGEN BOTH BUILT FACILITIES HERE TRADEPOINT ATLANTIC TO PROCESS NEW VEHICLES AND BE ABLE TO GET THEM INTO POSITION TO SEND THEM TO THE DEALER PEAKER.

AND WE HANDLE SALT, ALUMINUM, LUMBER, THAT ARE ALL INGREDIENTS THAT GO SOMEWHERE UP INTO THE SUPPLY CHAIN AND GET MANUFACTURED INTO SOMETHING IN THIS COUNTRY.

WE'VE HAMMED THAT.

WE'RE TRYING TO HANDLE MORE OF IT IN THE INTERIM WHILE CERTAIN PORTS WITHIN THE PORT OF BALTIMORE ARE OBSTRUCTED BY THE CHANNEL.

SO WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DOUBLE OUR CAPACITY OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS.

>> Jeff: HOW DO YOU LOOK AT THE OVERALL TRAJECTORY FOR THE PORT GOING FORWARD?

YOU GUYS HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE IN MARKETING THIS LOCATION TO SERVE THE WHOLE ATLANTIC COAST, THE EASTERN SEABOARD.

A LOT OF PEOPLE AROUND HERE.

THE PORT OF BALTIMORE COMPETES WITH OTHER PORTS, THERE'S NORFOLK, NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, ESPECIALLY FOR CONTAINER CARGO.

DO YOU EXPECT IT TO ALL COME BACK QUICKLY TO MAYBE TAKE SOMETIME?

HOW BIG A CHALLENGE IS THAT?

>> I THINK WE'LL KNOW IN TIME.

I THINK THERE'S CARGOES THAT WILL COME BACK IMMEDIATELY AND OTHER CARGOES FOLKS ARE CONCERNED THAT MAMIE GREAT TO OTHER PORTS AND THAT IS WHY WE'VE BEEN WORKING HARD TO KEEP AS MUCH THREW PUT COMING IN AS POSSIBLE SO THE CARGOES DON'T FIND ANOTHER HOME IN ANOTHER CITY.

I THINK THE PORT OF BALTIMORE HAS A LOT GOING FOR IT.

WE HAVE THE EXPANSION INVESTMENT IN THE HOWARD STREET TUNNEL THAT WILL ALLOW DOUBLE STACKING OF RAIL CARS TO THE MIDWEST THAT MAKES OUR PORT EFFICIENT AND POISED FOR GROWTH.

WE HAVE THE CONTAINER TERMINAL AND I TALKED ABOUT THAT IS A MAJOR INVESTMENT BY THE WORLD'S LARGEST SHIPPER AND US TO EXPAND CONTAINER CAPACITY IN BORPLT AND HOUR PROXIMITY WE ARE IN THE MID-ATLANTIC, AND WE'RE A DAY'S DRIVE WITHIN A THIRD OF THE U.S. POPULATION.

IT'S PRETTY SIGNIFICANT ARGUMENT AS TO WHY BALTIMORE MAKES SENSE TO COME TO TO BE A PORT.

AND WE THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE POISED FOR CONTINUED GROWTH IN THE FUTURE.

THIS IS JUST A MINOR SETBACK.

I THINK WE HAVE A STRONG RESILIENT PORT COMMUNITY HERE IN BALTIMORE.

AND WE'RE GOING TO GET READY TO GO BACK TO WORK AND BIG ERRING ERRING -- BIGGER AND BETTER.

>> Jeff: ONE OF THE TENANTS ANNOUNCED FOR TRADEPOINT, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THIS STANDS, WAS THE WIND FARM CONSTRUCTION.

PLANS FOR WIND TURBINES OFF OCEAN CITY AND YOU GUYS WERE GOING TO HAVE A KEY ROLE IN THAT.

THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SETBACKS ON THE PERMITTING PROCESS.

WHERE DOES IT STAND FROM YOUR STANDPOINT?

>> WELL, WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT OFFSHORE WIND FOR MANY YEARS.

BEEN ADVOCATES FOR IT.

WE BELIEVE IT WAS ONE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES TO BRING MANUFACTURING JOBS BACK TO THE POINT.

WE HAVE BEEN PARTNERED WITH U.S. WIND TO FACILITATE THEIR FACILITIES HERE AT TRADEPOINT ATLANTIC TO BE PART OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN THAT WOULD SERVE THE OFFSHORE WIND FARMS.

U.S. WIND IS INCREDIBLY WELL POSITIONED RIGHT NOW TO HELP DELIVER ON THEIR COMMITMENTS.

THEY MADE A COMMITMENT A COUPLE YEARS AGO TO BRING STEEL BACK TO SPARROW'S POINT IN THE FORM OF FABRICATING COMPONENTS FOR OFFSHORE WIND TURBINES.

THEY HAVE A LARGE LEASEHOLD HERE AT TRADEPOINT.

AND WE EXPECT GOOD THINGS TO HAPPEN.

BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, JEFF, IT'S BEEN A LONG PROCESS TO STAND UP A NEW INDUSTRY HERE IN THIS COUNTRY.

IT'S BEEN CONVOLUTED AND HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE AT THE POINT WHERE WE WILL BE ABLE TO START SEEING RESULTS.

>> Jeff: YOU MENTIONED BEFORE WE GO, THAT THERE WAS CLEAN UP WORK THAT WAS NECESSARY AFTER THE STEEL STUFF WAS WOUND DOWN.

I'M THINKING ABOUT THE LOCATION.

IT'S RIGHT ON THE WATER THE INTERSECTION OF THE PATAPSCO RIVER AND THE CHESAPEAKE BAY.

ARE THERE ANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR ORDINARY PEOPLE TO GET AROUND THERE AND TAKE A LOOK?

IS THERE PARKLAND UNDER DEVELOPMENT THAT SORT OF THING?

>> ABSOLUTELY I'M GLAD YOU ASKED THAT QUESTION.

WE DID PARTNER WITH BALTIMORE COUNTY TO DEDICATE 22 ACRES OF WATERFRONT LAND THAT WE THOUGHT WAS MOST SUITABLE FOR PUBLIC USE.

THAT PARK IS CURRENTLY UNDER DEVELOPMENT AND WILL BE THE FIRST NEW PARK IN BALTIMORE COUNTY IN YEARS.

IT'S GOING TO BE A STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITY.

THAT IS GOING TO ACTUALLY PARK IN BACK TO THE PAST T WILL HAVE HERITAGE ELEMENTS OF THE STEEL MILL AND THE WORK THAT WAS DONE HERE IN THE TOWN OF SPARROW'S POINT IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO THAT'S DUE TO OPEN UP IN ABOUT A YEAR OR TWO.

VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

WE'LL HAVE WALKING TRAILS, A KAYAK LAUNCH, PLAYING FIELDS, COMMUNITY CENTER.

SO ABSOLUTELY FAMILIES WILL BE ABLE TO COME DOWN TO SPARROW'S POINT AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE AMENITIES AS WELL AS THE RETAIL AMENITIES WE HAVE.

WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A STARBUCKS OPENING IN JULY.

YOU CAN COME DOWN AND HAVE A CAPPUCCINO WITH ME AFTER JULY.

WHO WOULD HAVE IMAGINED A STARBUCKS AT SPARROW'S POINT.

>> Jeff: IT IS A DEAL.

SEE YOU SOON.

AARON TOMARCHIO WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, JEFF.

>> Jeff: AND THAT IS "DIRECT CONNECTION" FOR THIS WEEK.

WE'RE BACK FRIDAY WITH "STATE CIRCLE" AND THE LATEST ON MARYLAND POLITICS.

JOIN US FRIDAY EVENING AT 7:00 P.M. YOU CAN ALWAYS SEE OUR PAST PROGRAMS ON-LINE AT VIDEO.MPT.TV AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA WE'RE MPT NEWS.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING "DIRECT CONNECTION" AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

[♪♪]