The U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary announced the award of more than $241 million in discretionary grant funding to improve port facilities in 19 states and one territory through the Maritime Administration’s (MARAD) Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP).
These grants demonstrate rapid action on commitments in the Biden-Harris Port Action Plan, which will strengthen our supply chains to meet demand resulting from the rapid economic recovery over the past year, and help address inflationary pressures.
“U.S. maritime ports play a critical role in our supply chains,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. “These investments in our nation’s ports will help support American jobs, efficient and resilient operations, and faster delivery of goods to the American people.”
The PIDP is in its third year and has already awarded $492 million for 32 projects of regional and national economic significance within its first two years.
The program supports efforts by ports and industry stakeholders to improve facility and freight infrastructure to ensure the Nation’s freight transportation needs, present and future, are met. It provides planning and capital financing and project management assistance to improve ports’ capacity and efficiency.
The projects that were awarded grants include coastal seaports, Great Lakes ports, and inland river ports. The Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 PIDP includes priorities related to job creation, climate change, and environmental justice impacts.
“These investments will support the shift to cleaner transportation, which will create more economic activity and good paying jobs,” said the Acting Maritime Administrator Lucinda Lessley. “The Port Infrastructure Development Program is an important part of building back better for our ports, our communities, our economy, and our people.”
Some of the projects to be funded under this announcement include:
- Long Beach, California — America’s Green Gateway Phase 1: Pier B Early Rail Enhancements Project (awarded: $52,300,000)
- Houston, Texas — Bayport Container Terminal Expansion (awarded: $18,267,600)
- Brunswick, Georgia — Colonel’s Island Berth #4 (awarded: $14,647,284)
- Bay St. Louis, Mississippi — Port Bienville Rail Storage Yard (awarded: $4,140,000)
- Tell City, Indiana — Ohio River Pier Project (awarded: $1,600,000)
- Delcambre, Louisiana — Port Resiliency Improvements (awarded: $2,000,000)
- Alpena, Michigan Improving Vessel Access for Sustained Viability (awarded: $3,751,623)
- Oakland, California Powering the Future Project (awarded: $5,200,000)
- Portsmouth, Virginia Portsmouth Marine Terminal Offshore Wind Development (awarded: $20,000,000)
- Tacoma, Washington Off-Dock Container Support Facility (awarded: $15,730,000)
