Sparrows Point Container Terminal Project Receives Federal Permitting Approval

WASHINGTON (December 19, 2025) – Today, the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Permitting Council) announced the completion of federal permitting for the Sparrows Point Container Terminal Project (SPCT). The $1 billion port project is expected to bring thousands of jobs to the Baltimore area as it expands the Port of Baltimore. 

“I am thrilled to see the Sparrows Point Container Terminal project complete federal permitting,” said Permitting Council Executive Director Emily Domenech. “One of my first project site visits as Executive Director was to the SPCT site, where I had the opportunity to see firsthand how this project will transform the capacity of the Baltimore port, making it a key player in the global trade market. I offer my congratulations to the Tradepoint Atlantic and Terminal Investment Limited (TiL) team, and my thanks to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for moving this project through federal permitting with transparency and efficiency.” 

The Sparrows Point Container Terminal is a proposed 330-acre redevelopment project within Sparrows Point, Maryland, consisting of 168 acres for a new container terminal and intermodal yard. Once completed, this project will double the container capacity of the Port of Baltimore, expanding its reach as a national hub while supporting consumers and businesses from the east coast to the Midwest.

The project will create thousands of new port-related jobs while simultaneously spurring economic growth in the region. This project site was previously home to Bethlehem Steel, an employment powerhouse in Baltimore that stood as a major producer and symbol of American industry for 125 years. The facility was once the largest iron and steel making facility in the world and the loss of the plant was one of the hardest economic hits in Baltimore history. In 2014 Tradepoint Atlantic purchased the former steel mill with plans to clean up the environmental legacy from steel making and redevelop the site into a global center of commerce and trade.  Today over 50 world class companies along with a bustling marine terminal and rail operation now occupy the site. The Sparrows Point Container Terminal project is poised to continue the transformation of this once abandoned site into a prosperous multi-modal manufacturing and logistics hub.

“We are very grateful to the Permitting Council, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and our federal, state, and local partners for their work to achieve this federal permitting approval,” said Tom Caso, Vice President and Project Manager at Tradepoint Atlantic for the Sparrows Point Container Terminal. “Thanks to FAST-41’s streamlined and transparent process, Sparrows Point Container Terminal is one step closer to creating thousands of good paying jobs while increasing domestic port capacity and positioning our region for long-term growth, competitiveness, and success for years to come.”

"Permit issuance for the Sparrows Point Container Terminal Project highlights how FAST-41 and integration of the USACE regulatory process can streamline environmental reviews, resulting in improved efficiency and clarity within the federal permitting process,” said USACE Baltimore District Commander Col. Francis Pera. "All stakeholders held a steadfast commitment to collaboration, accountability and transparency, which ultimately led to identification of a project alternative with the least impact to aquatic resources, all while meeting the applicant's project timeline."

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers served as the lead permitting agency for this project. Learn more about the Sparrows Point Container Terminal project on the Federal Permitting Dashboard. 

About the Permitting Council and FAST-41

Established in 2015 by Title 41 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST-41), the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Permitting Council) is a federal agency charged with improving the transparency and predictability of the federal environmental review and authorization process for certain critical infrastructure projects. The Permitting Council is composed of the Permitting Council Executive Director, who serves as the Council Chair; 13 federal agency Council members; and the Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. The Office of the Executive Director coordinates federal environmental reviews and authorizations for projects that seek and qualify for FAST-41 coverage, which are in turn entitled to comprehensive permitting timetables and transparent, collaborative management of those timetables on the Federal Permitting Dashboard. 

Learn more about the Permitting Council at permitting.gov.

About Sparrows Point Container Terminal

Sparrows Point Container Terminal is a proposed 330-acre redevelopment project within Sparrows Point, Maryland consisting of 168 acres for a new container terminal and intermodal yard, with an additional 162 acres for support facilities to enhance operations of the terminal.

This joint venture between Tradepoint Atlantic and Terminal Investment Limited (TiL) represents a major growth opportunity for the State of Maryland and the Baltimore region. 

Learn more about the Sparrows Point Container Terminal at spctmd.com.