The US Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Maritime Administration (MARAD) has published a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for 500 million USD through its Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP).
The PIDP provides investments to modernise the nation’s coastal and inland waterway ports, while also strengthening supply chains and economic security within the industry.
In addition, PIDP funds aim to help reduce carriers’ shipping time and costs to lower the price of goods for Americans.
From FY 2022 to FY 2026, this programme is supported by 500 million USD annually from the Biden-Harris Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said:Ports are central to our supply chains, and when ports run smoothly, it helps keep prices down, shelves stocked, and American farms and businesses selling their goods around the world. After helping our supply chains recover from pandemic disruptions, today President Biden is announcing $500 million to further strengthen our ports and keep shipping costs down, now and for generations of Americans.
Applicants for MARAD’s PIDP grants include port authorities, state and local governments, indigenous tribal nations, counties and other eligible public entities looking to complete critical port and port-related infrastructure projects.
The competitive grants are awarded to projects that improve the safety, efficiency or reliability of the movement of goods through ports and intermodal connections to ports.
Maritime Administrator Ann Phillips said:Projects selected to receive PIDP funding will support efforts by ports and industry stakeholders to modernise and expand port capacity to accelerate the movement of goods across the Nation. PIDP is a powerful investment tool that is uniquely geared toward improving port and related freight infrastructure to meet the Nation’s freight transportation needs—while simultaneously ensuring our port infrastructure can support future growth, and enhance the safety, efficiency and reliability of the Nation’s ports.
In FY 2023, the funded projects included a dock replacement in Alaska, on-dock rail improvements in California, pier infrastructure renovations in New Jersey, safety and capacity improvements at a tribal harbour in Oregon, a new barge terminal in Minnesota, electric vehicle charging infrastructure in North Carolina, and a container yard expansion in Washington State. The complete list of projects can be found here.
