Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (VWGoA) and Tradepoint Atlantic held the first day of operations at the Tradepoint Atlantic terminal at the port of Baltimore, the last VWGoA port in the U.S. The port, which will serve approximately 302 dealerships in the mid-Atlantic region, marks an investment of approximately $150 million in the Baltimore domain and created approximately one hundred new jobs.
VWGoA’s port operations were formalized with the arrival of the first vehicle transport ship, Bishu Highway, which delivered 797 cars from Europe. Volkswagen, Audi, Lamborghini and Bentley cars will be imported and processed at the port. The combination of a direct connection to the national rail network and simple to major roads will result in advanced visitor service and faster vehicle delivery times for dealers in the Mid-Atlantic region. Tradepoint Atlantic Terminal is the eighth VWGoA port in the United States, including sites in Benicia, California, Davisville, RI, Houston, TX, Jacksonville, FL, Midlothian, TX, San Diego, California and the Volkswagen meeting plant in Chattanooga, TN.
“This new port facility not only represents our commitment to the U.S. market. By adding to our existing footprint and the jobs that arise from it, it also represents a wise business decision,” said Anu Goel, executive vice president of after-sales of the group and Services, VWGoA. “This strategic location can help us achieve vehicle route generation goals to our Mid-Atlantic dealerships faster and at a lower overall cost.”
This announcement represents VWGoA’s commitment to sustainable progression through adaptive reuse of an old commercial wasteland that once housed one of the largest incorporated metal generators in the United States. The site will also help reduce the distance needed to deliver cars to dealerships in the Mid-Atlantic region, helping to reduce carbon emissions related to deliveries for those vehicles. This is a key detail of the Volkswagen Group’s global strategy to achieve carbon impartiality across its business until 2050.
Under the terms of the 20-year lease agreement with Tradepoint Atlantic, VWGoA’s vehicle processing and import facility will cover more than four million square feet (115 acres) at Tradepoint Atlantic Terminal, a 3,300-acre global multimodal logistics facility. The port will be guilty of loading around 120,000 cars in line with the year from European and Mexican production facilities, and volumes are expected to increase over time.
“Today Tradepoint Atlantic is achieving another milestone moment in the re-birth of this iconic site and the continued growth of vehicle import logistics at the Port of Baltimore,” said Kerry Doyle, Managing Director for Tradepoint Atlantic. ”The combination of Volkswagen’s state of the art staging and processing facility and our multi-modal connectivity to key east coast markets is the next step in realizing the full and future potential of Tradepoint Atlantic. We celebrate and welcome Volkswagen to the Port of Baltimore and look forward to many years of growth and continued success.”
In addition to approximately one hundred new full-time jobs, port operations in the new VWGoA facility and job creation in similar spaces are expected to increase truck volume, train volume, shipment unloading volume, pilot shipment, etc.
“Tradepoint Atlantic and the world-class corporations that continue to bring to Maryland are nothing less than an achievement and we couldn’t be more excited to see Volkswagen cars pass through Baltimore Harbor again,” Gov. Larry Hogan said. “Our administration has made expanding port operations a very sensible priority and it is transparent that these efforts pay huge dividends. Congratulations to Volkswagen and Tradepoint Atlantic for this new partnership and to all Maryland staff who will benefit from the new opportunities it will create. »
“We enthusiastically welcome Volkswagen to Baltimore Harbor,” said David Thomas, acting chief executive of MDOT Maryland Port Administration. “Baltimore Harbor has processed more cars than any other U.S. port. For nine years in a row. Thanks to appropriate personal amenities, such as Tradepoint Atlantic and our publicly owned maritime terminals, we must provide automakers with benefits that other ports cannot offer. Our automotive business is also a vital explanation of why Baltimore Harbor is one of our state’s leading economic turbines. Congratulations to Tradepoint Atlantic and Volkswagen. »
“We are thrilled to officially welcome Volkswagen to Baltimore County, as the company joins the developing list of companies that have joined Tradepoint Atlantic,” said Johnny Olszewski, Baltimore County director. “Even in the midst of this unprecedented pandemic, Tradepoint Atlantic continues its transformative resurgence, creating new jobs and opportunities in our communities.