Grant will boost Port of Houston’s container capacity
The Port of Houston has received an $18.3 million federal grant to increase its container capacity as the Biden administration tries to alleviate supply chain problems caused by the global pandemic.
The U.S. Transportation Department on Thursday awarded more than $241 million in discretionary grant funding for 25 projects to improve port facilities in 19 states and one territory. The Port of Houston plans to use its grant to increase the storage capacity of its Bayport Container Terminal by developing a 39-acre container yard, improving a nearby truck gate and constructing a new rail spur.
“U.S. maritime ports play a critical role in our supply chains,” said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “These investments in our nation’s ports will help support American jobs, efficient and resilient operations, and faster delivery of goods to the American people.”
The Biden administration is trying to address supply chain disruptions and bottlenecks at the nation’s ports as the economy recovers from the global pandemic. The administration is using a mix of grant funding as well as the recently passed infrastructure bill to fund improvements at the nation’s ports and airports.
The Maritime Administration’s Port Infrastructure Development Program has awarded $492 million for 32 projects over the past two years, including improving seaports, Great Lakes ports and inland river ports. The federal infrastructure bill will provide $450 million annually, or $2.25 billion over five years, to improve the nation’s ports.
The Port of Houston plans to
use its funding to develop Container Yard 1 south at its Bayport Container Terminal. The work funded includes site preparation, grading, drainage, utilities and concrete foundation to store containers, as well as signage, electrical work, lighting and communications.
The terminal will have seven container berths, 376 acres of container storage and a 123-acre rail and trucking transportation facility. The state-of-the-art terminal features a computerized inventory control system that tracks the status and location of individual containers. Trucks can access the terminal gates via two dedicated flyover ramps connecting Texas 146 and Port Road.
The facility is expected to generate more than 32,000 jobs and add about $1.6 billion to the Texas economy through wages and tax revenues, according to the port.