The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) unveiled plans to invest nearly US$580 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to support 31 port improvement projects across 15 states and one U.S. territory.
US government injects US$580 million into the port sector.
This funding, part of President Biden’s Investing in America initiative, aims to enhance the capacity and efficiency of coastal, Great Lakes, and inland river ports. The announced projects will boost supply chain reliability, create workforce development opportunities, improve freight efficiency, reduce costs, cut emissions, and enhance the safety, reliability, and resilience of U.S. ports.
“America’s ports are essential to our nation’s supply chains, and thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration, we have projects underway all across the country—from Long Beach to Milwaukee to Monroe—that are making it possible for our ports to move more goods each year and keep costs down for families. With the investments we’re announcing today, made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we’re building on this good work and funding more projects that will expand capacity, improve efficiency, and facilitate the quicker movement of goods at ports in more than a dozen states,” commented Pete Buttigieg, U.S. Secretary of Transportation.
The funds come from MARAD’s Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP), which received US$2.25 billion from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to upgrade port infrastructure and meet national freight transportation demands. The program offers planning, capital support, and project management assistance to improve both urban and rural ports.
“Modernizing America’s port infrastructure is essential to strengthening the multimodal network that supports our nation’s supply chain. Approximately 2.3 billion short tons of goods move through U.S. waterways each year, and the benefits of developing port infrastructure extend far beyond the maritime sector. This funding enhances the flow and capacity of goods moved, bolstering supply chain resilience across all transportation modes, and addressing the environmental and health impacts on port communities,” stated Ann Phillips, Maritime Administrator.
