Recognition: Baltimore, New York/New Jersey

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The Maryland Port Administration (MPA) recently received the Presidential "E Star" Award for excellence in export service during a ceremony at the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington, D.C., with Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker. The Coast Guard recently awarded the Rear Admiral Richard E. Bennis Award to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey for outstanding achievements and contributions related to implementation of the Maritime Transportation Security Act and other maritime security best practices in safeguarding our nation’s maritime transportation system.

Maryland Port Administration Receives Presidential "E Star" Award for Exports

The Maryland Port Administration (MPA) recently received the Presidential "E Star" Award for excellence in export service during a ceremony at the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington, D.C., with Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker. The President’s "E Star" Award was created in 1969 to recognize continued recognition of noteworthy export promotion efforts. The MPA was awarded this special distinction for having a marked increase in exports over the last few years. This marks the third time that the MPA has received presidential recognition for its exports. The MPA won the "E" award in 1964 and in 2007.

"I want to congratulate the Maryland Port Administration for receiving this tremendous honor," said Gov. Martin O’Malley. "Rising to the challenge of the National Export Initiative, exports through the Port of Baltimore’s public marine terminals have jumped nearly 23 percent in the past four years. This has helped the port maintain its position as one of Maryland’s leading economic engines for thousands of good-paying, family-supporting jobs for more Maryland workers."

From Fiscal Year 2010 through Fiscal Year 2013, exports of general cargo from the port’s public marine terminals increased 22.6 percent. General cargo is represented by containers, autos, roll on/roll off (farm and construction machinery), and forest products (rolled paper and wood pulp). In addition, the total export cargo tonnage from the public terminals is 52.2 percent higher than when the MPA won the "E" Award in 2007. Since that time, exports have increased from 36.5 percent to 38.3 percent of the total amount of general cargo from the public terminals.

New York/New Jersey Receives Award for Port Security

The Coast Guard recently awarded the Rear Admiral Richard E. Bennis Award to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The biannual award serves to recognize organizations that demonstrate outstanding achievements and contributions related to implementation of the Maritime Transportation Security Act and other maritime security best practices in safeguarding our nation’s maritime transportation system.

The Rear Admiral Richard E. Bennis Award honors an outstanding Coast Guard leader who embodied the organization’s core values and demonstrated an exceptional commitment to the security of the United States and the marine transportation system.

The Rear Admiral Richard E. Bennis Award seeks to increase public awareness and stress the importance of protecting the marine transportation system. The intent is to recognize and encourage organizations that establish and foster a comprehensive culture of security throughout their workforce.

The award highlights exceptional security programs and organizations that lead their community and industry in promoting the maritime security practices necessary to safeguard our nation’s marine transportation system.

"I applaud this year’s Bennis Award recipients for demonstrating for us all best practices to leverage partnerships, develop business practices and implement physical security measures that build a culture of security in their organizations. We all own the marine transportation system, and we all have a part in securing it; we must stay focused on our security systems to guard against complacency and prepare for emerging threats such as cyber attacks," said Rear Adm. Paul Thomas, assistant commandant for prevention policy.