The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) hailed the passage through the US Senate of a bill that includes provisions of $1.3bn for Harbour Maintenance Tax (HMT)-funded work plus other funding for maintenance of coastal and inland navigation waterways.
The bill in question, the Energy and Water Appropriations Bill for fiscal year 2017, passed by a vote of 90-8.
It will fund the US Army Corps of Engineers navigation programme in its efforts to support and improve the country’s navigation infrastructure.
This is especially needed with increasingly larger cargo ships calling at US ports, says the AAPA.
The inland waterway system moves freight valued at more than $70bn annually.
A similar bill passed the House of Representatives’ Appropriations Committee last month and next goes to the floor of the House.
