Baltimore oxygen project wins award

The Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Port Administration (MDOT MPA) was awarded an American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) Award of Excellence for Environmental Mitigation for the project at the Port of Baltimore.

“This is a wonderful honour for the MDOT MPA and I congratulate our staff on their hard work to make this project a reality,” said MDOT MPA Executive Director William P. Doyle. “Doing what we can to protect our environment is important to our overall mission and we will continue to move forward with environmental programs that benefit the air, water and Port itself.”

The Algal Flow-way Technology (AFT) is a linear raceway constructed at the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore’s Dundalk Marine Terminal, located on the Patapsco River, which feeds into the Chesapeake Bay. The AFT pumps water from the Patapsco River onto the raceway, which flows over a surface designed to enhance algal growth. As the algae grows, it cleans and oxygenates the water prior to its return to the river.

The AFT project is one of many environmental initiatives at the Port of Baltimore. Ongoing projects include the Diesel Equipment Upgrade Programme, through which the Port of Baltimore replaces older diesel-powered equipment with newer, more efficient versions; and the MDOT MPA dredging programme that uses sediment dredged from shipping channels that lead to the port to restore wetlands and eroding islands.