Thanks to a rising sea of of cars and containers, the Maryland Port Administration registered its highest cargo level in 2014, the agency announced today.

The port handled more cars and light trucks than any other U.S. port last year – 792,795 – up 5% from the 2013 total.

This increase, combined with a record handling of 484,410 containers, translated into 9.7 million tons of general cargo – a 1% uptick over the 9.6 million tons in 2012.

Baltimore has long been a leading importer of foreign cars, but now is shipping out more cars that ever before. Last year, 259,312 vehicles crossed MPA docks for export.

Private Shipments

The port is also a large exporter of coal and other commodities from private terminals. Overall, the private sector handled 19.8 million tons of mostly bulk goods, including sugar, aluminum, forest products and farm machinery as well as coal.

The MPA estimated the total value of goods moved through the port at $52.5 billion last year, making Baltimore the ninth largest port in the U.S. for the total dollar value of cargo and 13th for cargo tonnage.

The 2012 shutdown of the Sparrows Point steel mill, a leading importer of iron ore and coke, put a major dent in the port’s private cargo handling.

The MPA plans to turn the southern tip of the former steel mill into a marine terminal, primarily for car and truck shipments, but also for anticipated new business coming to Baltimore after the widening of the Panama Canal.