The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) has announced over $653 million to fund 41 port improvement projects under the Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP).
This funding is aimed to help grow capacity and increase efficiency at coastal seaports, Great Lakes ports, and inland river ports, as a significant portion of domestic and international U.S. commerce by weight, (over 2.3 billion short tons) moves by water. The port improvement projects announced strive to strengthen supply chain reliability, create workforce development opportunities, speed up the movement of goods, and improve the safety, reliability and resilience of ports.
Everything from the food we eat to the cars we drive to the lumber and steel used to build our homes passes through America’s ports, making them some of the most critical links in our nation’s supply chain. These investments will help expand capacity and speed up the movement of goods through our ports
… said U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg
The program provides planning support, capital funding, and project management assistance to improve capacity and efficiency of ports in both urban and rural areas.
Awards announced include more than $172.8 million for 26 small ports to continue to improve and expand their capacity to move freight reliably and efficiently, thereby boosting local and regional economies while protecting surrounding communities from air pollution.
To remind, the U.S. MARAD has also announced $20.8 million in grant awards to 27 small shipyards in 20 states through the Small Shipyard Grant Program.
Modernizing the nation’s port infrastructure is vital to the reinforcement of America’s multimodal system for transporting goods. The advantages of cargo movement on water extend well beyond the maritime domain.
… commented Maritime Administrator Ann Phillips
Projects were selected based on their ability to improve the safety, efficiency, or reliability of the movement of goods, as well as on how well they would improve port resilience. Select grants include:
- Dock Infrastructure Replacement ($43,376,746), Cold Bay, Alaska
- North Harbor Transportation System Improvement Project ($52,633,331), Long Beach, California
- Reconstruction of Berth PN-308 at Port Newark ($32,000,000), Newark, New Jersey
- Ko’Kwel Wharf Improvements Project ($7,729,650), North Bend, Oregon
- Port of Ogdensburg Terminal Expansion Project ($5,107,649), Ogdensburg, New York
- Wabasha Barge Terminal Project ($2,545,297), Wabasha, Minnesota
- North Gate Relocation and Access Optimization ($10,950,805), Wilmington, North Carolina
- Port of Tacoma Husky Terminal Expansion Port One ($54,233,330), Tacoma, Washington
- Velasco Terminal Sustainable Expansion Project ($15,958,380), Freeport, Texas
- Agricultural Maritime Export Facility – Phase 2 ($9,276,352), Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Port of Blencoe Infrastructure Development Project ($10,262,240), Blencoe, Iowa
- River Valley Slackwater Harbor Project ($15,096,000), Fort Smith, Arkansas
