Customs clearance at the Port of Baltimore

Baltimore files under CBP port code 1303. It is a working cargo port with an unusual specialism: rolling stock and machinery rather than containers alone. Seagirt handles the containers, while Dundalk and Fairfield handle vehicles, ro-ro and breakbulk, and that mix changes what a customs broker is actually useful for here.

CBP port code: 1303
CBP district: 13
Official CBP name: Baltimore, Maryland

The shipping channel reopened in 2024

After the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, the federal channel was restored to its full dimensions and fully reopened in June 2024, and the port has operated normally since. The bridge itself is a separate matter and is still being rebuilt.

We mention it because the event was covered heavily and the correction was not, so importers still ask whether Baltimore is restricted. It is not. Do not route around this port on the strength of a headline from 2024.

Rolling stock, machinery and forest products

Baltimore leads US ports in roll on roll off farm and construction equipment and in imported forest products, and it remains one of the two largest US ports for automobiles. It is worth being precise about that last point: it held the top spot for autos for more than a decade and no longer does, so anybody still telling you it is number one is working from old information.

The practical point for you is the cargo type rather than the ranking. Vehicles and heavy equipment carry requirements ordinary containerised goods do not: EPA and DOT declarations on vehicle imports, and classification on machinery that quietly decides your duty rate.

Double stack rail into the Midwest, finally

The Howard Street Tunnel was enlarged and reopened in 2025, clearing double stack intermodal in and out of Baltimore for the first time. That was a real constraint on this port for decades and its removal changes inland routing economics.

If you previously ruled Baltimore out on rail grounds, that decision is worth revisiting, and the in bond versus clear at the coast question is worth asking again.

Services

FAQ

What is the CBP port code for Baltimore?

1303.

Is the Port of Baltimore still affected by the Key Bridge collapse?

No. The federal shipping channel was restored to its full dimensions and fully reopened in June 2024, and the port has operated normally since. The bridge itself is still being rebuilt, which is a road project rather than a constraint on your vessel.

Is Baltimore the biggest car port in America?

Not any more, and this is worth correcting because it was true for over a decade. Another US port took the top spot for automobiles in 2024 and held it in 2025. Baltimore remains one of the two largest, and it does lead nationally in roll on roll off farm and construction equipment and in imported forest products.

Do you clear vehicles and heavy equipment?

Yes. Both carry requirements ordinary cargo does not, including EPA and DOT declarations on vehicle imports, and on machinery the classification decides the duty rate. Send the specifications before arrival rather than after.

Vehicles, machinery or containers?

Baltimore handles all three and they are not the same filing. Tell us what is coming and we will tell you what it needs before it arrives.

Other ports in this tier