Port of Baltimore receives federal grant to strengthen cybersecurity

Funding will augment port’s existing access and cybersecurity systems.

The Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Port Administration (MDOT MPA) has been awarded $703,116 in the most recent round of funding through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Port Security Grant Program.

The funding, nnounced earlier this month, will help strengthening access control points and cybersecurity efforts at the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore’s state-owned public marine terminals.

Governor Larry Hogan said:

“As the Port of Baltimore continues to break cargo records and generate higher numbers of jobs, we want to make certain it remains one of the most secure seaports in the nation. This funding will help further our mission to ensure the security of the men and women who work at the Port, as well as the inbound and outbound cargo that comes through the Port.”

For 10 consecutive years, the Port of Baltimore’s public marine terminals have received a top rating on an annual security assessment conducted by the U.S. Coast Guard. The new FEMA allocation will be used for three specific projects to help make the Port’s security even stronger. One project will upgrade and add new security features to access control software that prevents unauthorized access to the public marine terminals. Another project will add three additional access control booths on the terminals. In the third project, MDOT MPA will incorporate additional mechanisms and upgrades to its cybersecurity platforms.