Department of Transportation investing $498 billion into U.S. port rennovations

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WWAY) – U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy today announced a $498 million investment into 35 port projects across 19 states to bolster America’s supply chains ports.

The projects where funding from the Maritime Administration (MARAD)’s Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) are going towards includes:

• $50,593,488 to the City of Whittier in Alaska to replace the DeLong Dock, install a seasonal floating dock and a new dock manager building, and acquire three pedestal cranes alongside an integrated tug and barge.
• $30,750,000 to Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to physically harden the liquid bulk terminal, widen the slip to accommodate larger ships, and strengthen the port’s resilience to maintain critical fuel operations during severe weather.
• $698,750 to the Rockport Harbor in Rockport, Maine, to upgrade commercial seafood infrastructure by constructing a 20 x 30-foot fixed timber pier–complete with 12 timber piles, marine-grade connectors, and a vessel fendering system–to streamline vessel-to-truck product transfers.
• $10,161,985 to Red Wing Port Authority in Red Wing, Minnesota, to reconstruct its barge loading system, conveyors, electric winch, and dust collection systems–increasing cargo throughput and elevating loadout infrastructure above the Mississippi River floodplain.
• $11,250,000 to North Carolina State Ports Authority-MHC in Moorehead City, North Carolina, to construct a 75-foot inland pile-supported concrete deck for heavy-lift cargo, install a new crane rail and dual on-dock rail extensions, and deploy Smart Harbor Pilot Program security system and Optical Character Recognition tracking software.
• $9,412,500 to Port Freeport in Freeport, Texas, to replace a 25-year-old bulk rice loader, install a rack system in the rice storage shed, and move the southern wall of the shed to expand berthing space.
• $7,153,376 to the Port of Corpus Christi Authority in Corpus Christi, Texas, to purchase a digital twin model, multi-modal sensing hardware, and software programming resources including, survey-grade LiDAR, multibeam and side-scan SONAR, high-definition cameras, and transponders to deliver continuous situational awareness across pipeline, rail, roadway, and waterway infrastructure.