White House announces plan to accelerate investments in ports, waterways and freight networks
The Biden-Harris administration on November 9 announced a port action plan, a set of concrete steps to accelerate investment in US ports, waterways and freight networks. The plan’s goals and timelines will mobilise federal agencies and lay the foundation for implementation of the recently approved $1.2trn Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal.
The action plan will increase federal flexibilities for port grants; accelerate port infrastructure grant awards; announce new construction projects for coastal navigation, inland waterways and land ports of entry; and launch the first round of expanded port infrastructure grants funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal.
This investment in ports and waterways is designed to relieve supply chain congestion and strengthen long-term supply chain resiliency.
The Army Corps of Engineers will begin designating port and inland waterway projects where $4bn it allocates for their modernisation can be spent.
The Port of Savannah has revealed it will use money from a previous government grant to build a pop-up container terminal about 160 km inland to relieve its backlogs.
Over the next 45 days, the government will also allocate $240m from the Port Infrastructure Development Program grants to improve capacity nationwide.
President Biden spoke with the CEOs of Wal-Mart, Target, UPS and FedEx on Tuesday about how to relieve the supply chain challenges with new highs of boxships queuing off southern California.
