The Maritime Administration has awarded nearly $498 million in Port Infrastructure Development Program grants to 35 projects in 19 states, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced Oct. 27.
The fiscal 2026 awards will support infrastructure improvements at coastal, Great Lakes and inland ports, including dock replacements, cargo-handling upgrades and new technology. The competitive grant program funds both planning and construction projects and includes a set-aside for small ports.
Among the largest awards, the city of Whittier, Alaska, will receive $50.6 million to replace DeLong Dock, install a seasonal floating dock and construct a dock manager building. The project also includes three pedestal cranes and an integrated tug and barge.
Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., will receive $30.75 million to strengthen its liquid bulk terminal and widen a slip to accommodate larger vessels. The work is intended to help maintain fuel operations during severe weather, according to the Transportation Department.
In Maine, Rockport Harbor will receive $698,750 to build a 20'x30' fixed timber pier for commercial seafood operations. The pier will include 12 timber piles and a vessel fendering system to support transfers from vessels to trucks.
The Red Wing Port Authority in Minnesota was awarded $10.2 million to reconstruct its barge loading system and upgrade conveyors, an electric winch and dust collection equipment. The project will increase cargo throughput and raise loading infrastructure above the Mississippi River floodplain, the department said.
Other awards include:
- $11.25 million to the North Carolina State Ports Authority in Morehead City for a pile-supported concrete deck for heavy-lift cargo, a new crane rail and two on-dock rail extensions. The project also includes security and cargo-tracking technology.
- $9.4 million to Port Freeport, Texas, to replace a 25-year-old bulk rice loader, install a rack system in a rice storage shed and move the shed’s southern wall to expand berthing space.
- $7.2 million to the Port of Corpus Christi Authority in Texas for a digital twin and monitoring equipment intended to provide continuous situational awareness across pipeline, rail, roadway and waterway infrastructure.
“The strength of our nation’s economy is directly tied to the state of our ports,” Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said in the announcement. “This nearly half-billion-dollar investment will deliver critical upgrades to ports across America so we can enhance supply chains, lower shipping costs, and create good-paying jobs for hardworking Americans.”
The fiscal 2026 funding included $450 million from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the final installment of the law’s five-year, $2.25 billion commitment to the port program. Additional funding came from fiscal 2026 appropriations and unexpended funds recovered from prior-year awards, Marad said.
