O'Malley to announce major port partnership, tout jobs

Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley is expected to announce Friday the award of a long-term partnership with Ports America to operate an expanded, state-owned Seagirt Marine Terminal in southeast Baltimore.

The deal will be touted as creating 5,700 jobs, something O'Malley (D) is likely to play up in his remarks, according to sources. That would be consistent with O'Malley's stepped-up emphasis on job creation in the wake of this month's Republican gubernatorial victories in New Jersey and Virginia.

The port-related jobs include 3,000 one-time construction positions to build a new 50-foot berth to accommodate larger ships expected to utilize the port after the Panama Canal is widened in 2014. An additional 2,700 jobs are related to continuing operations at the expanded facility, a source said.

-- John Wagner and Aaron C. Davis