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Port of Baltimore New Operator Draws Fear

Posted on: Friday, 17 February 2006, 21:00 CST

By James Mosher

An Arab-owned company's acquisition of a major operator at the Port of Baltimore doesn't bother one of Maryland's leading maritime advocates, although the person who holds her former seat in Congress wants to hold hearings on the matter. It's a straight business transaction, said Helen Delich Bentley, a former congresswoman whose district included the port. The new owner is not going to be managing the Port of Baltimore.But C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, D-2nd District, said he's worried about security and wants a forum in the U.S. House of Representatives to discuss his and the concerns of others.The safety and security of Maryland families is always my top priority, Ruppersberger said in a prepared statement. I am very concerned that a company from the United Arab Emirates may be running the day-to-day operations at the Port of Baltimore.The Maryland Port Administration, the arm of the state Department of Transportation that oversees the Port of Baltimore, sides with Bentley.Dubai is not going to be running any day-to-day operations, said Richard Scher, chief spokesman for MPA Executive Director F. Brooks Royster III. It's simply a foreign ownership purchase of marine terminal operations

. It's not something that's new to the United States. Lawmakers in New York and Washington, including Rep. Peter T. King, R-N.Y., a one-time colleague of Bentley, began raising concerns earlier this week about the $6.8 billion acquisition of Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co. by UAE- based Dubai Ports World. P&O Ports North America, a unit of London, U.K.-headquartered Peninsular & Oriental, has operations at six U.S. ports.I would like to hold congressional hearings so we can have an in-depth discussion about who this company is and what they will be doing with the port, Ruppersberger said in his release. He has held the 2nd District seat since 2002. Bentley, a Republican, held the office from 1985 to 1995. Oz Bengur, a Democratic candidate for Maryland's 3rd Congressional District, held a news conference yesterday at which he also sought a congressional investigation into the acquisition.Ruppersberger's statement noted that Marwan al- Shehhi, one of the Sept. 11 hijackers who helped fly a plane into New York's World Trade Center, was born in the United Arab Emirates. Al-Shehhi has not been connected to Dubai World Ports in any way. The company is owned by the emirate of Dubai. Dubai is one of seven emirates that make up the nation known as United Arab Emirates. Citing terrorism and national security concerns, King said he asked Bush administration officials, whom he declined to identify, to look into the transaction, according to wire service reports. The U.S. Department of the Treasury has cleared the sale. But Scher said the leaders of Dubai World Ports want to make money, not trouble.These people are businessmen, he said. They don't want to do anything that will endanger that ability. We've enjoyed a great relationship with P&O and we expect to have a great relationship with Dubai. P&O's Baltimore operations involve stevedoring and the employment of longshoremen, according to Bentley. Officials at P&O North America and the International Longshoremen's Association, whose Local 333 union represents Port of Baltimore workers, didn't return calls seeking comment yesterday.Shareholders of P&O approved the buyout by Dubai World Ports Monday. The deal would create the world's third- largest port operator with 51 terminals in 30 countries, according to news reports. P&O's other U.S. contracts include operations in New York, Philadelphia, New Jersey, New Orleans, and Miami.P&O received a six-year contract to manage two Baltimore facilities in May 2001. The company manages the loading and unloading of containers at Baltimore's Dundalk and Seagirt terminals, employing about 65 people, Ruppersberger's release said.

Source: The Daily Record (Baltimore)

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