Biden allocates $653 million for U.S. port development projects

 

The U.S. Department of Transportation on Friday provided $653 million in grants to develop and enhance forty-one seaports across the United States.

The grants are part of a trillion-dollar infrastructure investment included in a bipartisan law signed by President Joe Biden in 2021.

Officials in the Biden administration stated that the supported projects would enable ports to meet increased shipping demands, in addition to reducing costs for consumers and improving labor safety conditions.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, during a phone call with reporters, noted that supply chain challenges since 2021 have led to price hikes as the United States recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. Buttigieg added that the goal of the projects is to improve port infrastructure to withstand the types of shocks experienced by the United States during the pandemic.

"We aim to strengthen these supply chains sustainably... Today's announcement is another big step in that direction," he said.

The grants included $43.4 million for a dock renovation in Cold Bay, Alaska.

The Port of Long Beach in California will receive $52.6 million for various development operations, including an extension of the railway network to aid in freight transportation.

An amount of $32 million will be allocated to the Port of Newark in New Jersey for pier reconstruction.