The U. S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) announced Monday that it would make available an additional $14.8 million for the America’s Marine Highway Program (AMHP).
The new funding brings to nearly $40 million the amount available for the AMHP program. Additionally, MARAD extended the deadline for applicants to apply for the funding to June 17.
“Under the President’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, and reduce the climate impacts of port operations,” said Acting Maritime Administrator Lucinda Lessley.
In March, the Department announced the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law made nearly $25 million in grant funding available for the AMHP. With the FY 2022 Appropriations Act, an additional $14.8 million was made available, bringing the total to nearly $39.8 million.
The AMHP supports the increased use of the nation’s navigable waterways to relieve landside congestion, as well as to provide new and efficient transportation options. Projects eligible for the funding must have previously been designated as a Marine Highway Project by the Secretary of Transportation.
Those include projects like the Baton Rouge to New Orleans Shuttle Service that provides Container-on-Barge Shuttle Service between the Port of Greater Baton Rouge and the Port of New Orleans in Louisiana; and the James River Container Expansion Project which expands existing container-on-barge service between Hampton Roads and Richmond, Va.
The deadline for the funding was extended to ensure a new Marine Highway Route and two new Marine Highway projects had adequate time to prepare applications for the funds.