The Port of Baltimore is a leader in imported forest products. To help the Port maintain its competitive advantage, JMT designed a new, $3.4 million Roll-On Roll-Off (RORO) platform for the Maryland Port Administration at the South Locust Point Marine Terminal (SLPMT) on the Patapsco River.  The platform allows specially-designed stern ramp ships to dock adjacent to the existing bulkhead and lower the stern ramp directly onto the platform. Yard Master tractors pulling “MAFI” trailers enter the ship’s hull via the stern ramp to retrieve 6,000 pound rolls of paper. Prior to the completion of the RORO platform, cranes were used for unloading two or four rolls at a time, which was time-consuming and not cost-effective. The addition of the RORO platform has doubled paper unloading productivity and reduced overall cargo damage as a result of less handling. 

Project highlights:

• The three deep water berths at SLPMT have a quay (wharf) length of over 2,000 feet, which can accommodate vessels of up to 36 foot draft.
• The new 92-foot by 110-foot platform was designed to withstand the berthing impact and mooring forces of an 18,250 metric ton vessel and the vertical loads of 60-ton trailers.
• Approximately 240,000 pounds of reinforcement steel and 830 cubic yards of cast-in-place concrete were required to construct the platform.
• JMT accomplished the final design and project advertisements of this fast-tracked project in less than six months.