The Maritime Administration (MARAD) recently awarded the Port Authority of Guam a $59.6 million Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) grant to improve cargo capacity.
The Port of Guam plans to conduct upgrades that ensure it remains a reliable node for commercial commerce and military logistics following major weather events. It will install three ship-to-shore cargo cranes that will be designed to meet FEMA standards with tie-downs capable of surviving Category 4 and 5 typhoons. Two existing three cranes will be maintained for backup purposes during emergencies, surges or maintenance cycles. The new equipment is expected to increase cargo throughput and reduce vessel waiting time by 15 percent to 20 percent.
“The Port of Guam is directly linked to the wellbeing of the people across Micronesia and to the defense of the United States,” Hung Cao, acting secretary of the Navy, said. “One of my main responsibilities as the senior defense official for Guam and the commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands is to ensure the infrastructure that supports the mission of all of our service members and local partners on Guam is taken care of and that is a symbiotic effort with the government of Guam.”
PIDP funds projects that modernize ports and strengthen supply chains.