Ports secure TIGER funds

News 2 Aug 2016 by WCN Editorial

Six ports were awarded a total of US$61.8M in funding under the TIGER VIII Infrastructure Grants.

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Ports put in 53 applications for funding in the latest round of the US Transport Infrastructure Generating Economic Recovery grants, out of a total of 585 applications. With six successful applications worth US$61.8M ports are getting 12.36% of the total US$500M funding pool.

The six successful projects are:

$17.63M for the Port of Albany in upstate New York to enhance project cargo handling capabilities, reconstruct a wharf with roll-on/roll-off capacity, replace a warehouse, and improvements to storage ares and roads.
$10.67M to the Virgin Islands Port Authority for improvements to its Gordon A. Finch Terminal. Renovating and reconstructing a roll-on/roll-off dock, waterside improvements to increase berthing capacity, warehousing and administrative buildings, plus security enhancements.
$10M to the Port of Everett for its South Terminal Modernization Project. Including strengthening over 500 feet of dock, a new berth for roll-on/roll-off and intermodal cargo, sidings and electrical infrastructure.
$10M to the Port Authority of Guam to rehabilitate its "H" Wharf with a new sheet pile bulkhead retaining wall and upgrades to an access road.
$7.33M to the Port of Portland for its Portland Marine Terminal Freight and Jobs Access Project. Grade separation of a rail line and road realignment.
$6.19M to the Little Rock Port Authority, Arkansas for improvements to its slack water harbour area, including a new dock with direct dock to-rail capability.

The American Association of Port Authorities has led a lobbying effort to get more of the TIGER grants directed to port projects, and American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) President and CEO Kurt Nagle repeated this call after round VIII. “TIGER grants are one of the few federal funding programs available to public port authorities to help them pay for critical infrastructure to move and handle freight more efficiently,” said Mr. Nagle. “We’re pleased that a number of port projects were included in the eighth round of TIGER grants just announced, but this year’s grants included few funds for major maritime freight gateways.” He added, “It’s important that projects from the full range of port sizes and types receive grant awards in upcoming rounds of TIGER funding.”

It is also notable that, unlike earlier TIGER grants, none of the funding is for the purchase of cranes and container handling equipment. The focus for TIGER funding has shifted to infrastructure work that generates employment in the US.