MARAD Makes Additional $234 Million Available for Port Projects

FY 2022 Appropriations Act raises Port Infrastructure Development Program Funding to more than $684 Million, the highest total ever.

U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) has announced an additional $234 million in grant funding available to port-related projects.

The funding is made available through the Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) and brings the total amount available this year to $684.3 million—by far the most annual funding in the history of the program.

MARAD issued an initial notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) in February, announcing the availability of $450 million for the PIDP program under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law—already nearly double the funding amount from last year’s investment in the PIDP. The FY 2022 Appropriations Act appropriated an additional $234.3 million in funding for the program and this money has been added to the NOFO.

“Under President Biden’s leadership, we are making a once-in-a-generation investment in our ports and intermodal infrastructure to move goods faster, strengthen supply chain resiliency, support economic vitality at both the national and regional levels, and address climate change and environmental justice impacts,” said Acting Maritime Administrator Lucinda Lessley.

The $684.3 million in funding for FY 2022 PIDP grants is the highest level of funding ever made available for the program. In December, U.S. Department of Transportation announced the award of more than $241 million in discretionary grant funding for 25 projects across the country through the PIDP.

PIDP grants are awarded on a competitive basis to eligible projects that improve the movement of goods to, through, and around ports at coastal seaports, inland river ports, and Great Lakes ports. In addition, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law also expanded the list of eligible projects to explicitly include projects that reduce or eliminate port-related criteria pollutant or greenhouse gas emissions.

Overall, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law promises to invest $17 billion in the nation’s ports and waterways.

The Biden Administration has previously announced it has allocated $14 billion from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and other appropriations to improve U.S. ports and waterways, spanning over 500 projects across 52 states and territories.

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