Port of Baltimore seeks new leadership as executive director steps down

The Port of Baltimore leadership change centers on Johnathan Daniels stepping down as executive director, with plans to become Port Director and CEO of PortMiami. Maryland’s Department of Transportation announced the transition on Tuesday, and it will prompt a nationwide search for Daniels’ replacement. In the interim, Deputy Secretary Samantha J. Biddle will serve as Interim Executive Director; MDOT says she has been with the agency since 2023, acted as secretary in 2025, and has two decades of transportation experience. Daniels led the port for nearly two months before the March 2024 Key Bridge collapse. Despite the disaster, MDOT reports the port achieved major recovery milestones, including its second-best year on record with nearly 50 million tons of cargo and $65.5 billion in value. The port ranks 10th nationally in foreign cargo trade and 11th in total tonnage.