Biden-Harris administration announces nearly $580M for port improvement projects

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) has announced plans to invest nearly $580 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to fund 31 port improvement projects in 15 states and one U.S. territory.

As part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, this funding will help increase both capacity and efficiency at coastal seaports, Great Lakes ports, and inland river ports.

The port improvement projects announced last week are set to strengthen supply chain reliability, create workforce development opportunities, enhance freight efficiency, lower costs, reduce emissions, and improve the safety, reliability, and resilience of the ports.

“Modernizing America’s port infrastructure is essential to strengthening the multimodal network that supports our nation’s supply chain,” said Maritime Administrator Ann Phillips. 

“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.”

Select grants include:

• Don Young Port of Alaska’s Cargo 1 Replacement Project ($50,000,000),

• Port of Oakland’s Outer Harbor Terminal Infrastructure Modernization Project ($49,517,100),

• Georgia Ports Authority (GPA)’s Garden City Terminal Power Resiliency Project ($49,886,096),

• The Lummi Nation Fisherman’s Cove Dock Replacement Project ($10,979,375), etc.