Port Everglades CEO Jonathan Daniels Tapped to Run Port of Baltimore

After a nationwide search, Port Everglades CEO Jonathan Daniels has been selected as the next executive director of the Maryland Port Administration, which oversees the state-owned terminals of the Port of Baltimore. 

"Jonathan’s strong experience leading major U.S. ports and his unique economic development background make him the perfect choice for the Port of Baltimore as we continue to advance significant projects," said Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld in a statement.

Daniels will take over at MPA on February 5, replacing interim director Brian Miller, who has been holding the post on a temporary basis. Mr. Miller is the port's longtime head of operations, and he became acting director in June 2023 after the departure of previous MPA chief William Doyle. 

At Port Everglades, Daniels led a $3 billion plan to expand the port's container, energy and cruise businesses. Port Everglades is the busiest energy port in Florida and the third busiest cruise homeport in the world. Before joining Port Everglades, Mr. Daniels was executive director and CEO of the Mississippi State Port Authority. 

In a statement, Daniels said that he is looking forward to getting involved in Port of Baltimore's ongoing projects, including the Howard Street Tunnel initiative. The project will raise the height of a 1.7-mile rail tunnel (and other obstructions) to allow double-stack container cars to transit between Baltimore and Philadelphia. The improvements will speed up container-on-rail cargo flow for the Port of Baltimore.