The U.S. Department of Transportation has announced nearly USD 489 million (EUR 427 million) in grant funding for improving the nation’s ports and shipyards through the Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP).
“The Trump Administration is getting back to basics and investing hard-earned American dollars in restoring the nation’s maritime dominance,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said in a release. “We’re refocusing on what matters – revitalizing our ports with the latest technology and infrastructure to keep our economy humming.”
The grants, which are administered by the Maritime Administration (MARAD), will be used to “improve ports' ability to load and unload goods, streamline supply chain movements, modernize ports’ infrastructure and operations, and support America’s vibrant seafood and seafood-related businesses,” MARAD said in its announcement. Roughly 25 percent of the funding will be designated for “Small Projects at Small Ports.”
“Thanks to President Trump and Secretary Duffy, we are investing in much-needed port infrastructure that will strengthen our supply chains,” MARAD Administrator Stephen M. Carmel said. “America’s ports fuel our economy, bolster domestic energy, and cut costs for hardworking families, making them worthy of taxpayer investment."
Applications for PIDP funding are due 27 June.
In 2024, former U.S. President Joe Biden signed into law language from the Supporting Commercial Fishing in Port Infrastructure Projects Act, legislation clarifying that commercial fishing-related projects are eligible for funding under PIDP.
“This law will help ports modernize their infrastructure and support the growth and sustainability of our fishing industry, ensuring that this industry can continue generating economic growth, jobs, and sustainability in all coastal communities,” U.S. Representative Val Hoyle (D-Oregon), who introduced the original legislation, said at the time.
The legislation confirmed that PIDP grants can be used for “port and port-related infrastructure that supports seafood and seafood-related businesses, including the loading and unloading of commercially harvested fish and fish products, seafood processing, cold storage, and other related infrastructure.”
