The Canaveral Port Authority has been awarded a total of $1.392 million in federal and state funding to help strengthen security operations.
The Port will receive $1,103,950 in federal grant funding from the Port Security Grant Program (PSGP) of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), a component of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), under the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 preparedness grant programs.
The Port has also been awarded $288,000 in state supported port security grant funding from the FY 2021 Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development (FSTED) program.
Port safety and security is a primary mission of Port Canaveral. Our operations are diverse and continuous, and our close proximity to the surrounding community adds complexity to our environment, Grants like these are important funding to help us employ new resources and latest technologies to augment our security measures.
…said Port CEO Capt. John Murray.
Port Canaveral will use the grant funding to enhance the Port’s physical and cybersecurity posture and operational readiness with technology upgrades and new equipment to mitigate potential failures and reduce vulnerabilities.
What is more, the port was one of nearly 50 U.S. ports that received grants through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) $100 million PSGP program, which awards grants on a competitive basis each year to support the building, sustainment and delivery of core capabilities of Ports, facility operators, and state and local government agencies.
FEMA’s Port Security Grant Program provides $100 million for transportation infrastructure security activities to implement Area Maritime Transportation Security Plans and facility security plans.
The intent of the FY 2021 PSGP is to competitively award grant funding to assist ports in obtaining the resources required to support the development and sustainment of core capabilities identified in the National Preparedness Goal of a secure and resilient nation. Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Port Security Grants have helped the nation’s seaports enhance measures to increase security and protect vital transportation hubs and maritime borders.
For the records, the Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development (FSTED) grant program was established by the Florida Legislature as a collaborative effort between Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and Florida’s 15 deep water seaports, and codified as an annual seaport grant program (Sections 311.07 and 311.09, F.S.).
Concluding, Port Canaveral will use the funding to enhance security detection with upgraded equipment at the Port.
