Port of Tacoma and Port of Ilwaco to each receive multi-million dollar awards for infrastructure modernization through Department of Transportation grant program
Port of Tacoma funding will help construct an off-dock container support facility that will help reduce supply chain congestion
Port of Ilwaco funding will help reconstruct port bulkhead to ensure long-term operability of the port
Senator Murray: “These federal awards will mean more business for our ports—which in turn means more jobs for local workers, lower prices for consumers, and a stronger economy for local communities and our entire state.”
Senator Murray, a senior member of the Senate’s transportation and infrastructure appropriations subcommittee, wrote letters of support for the two projects to receive federal funding
(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate subcommittee overseeing transportation and infrastructure appropriations, today announced two major federal awards to help bolster supply chains and rehabilitate and modernize the Port of Tacoma and the Port of Ilwaco. The grants were awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s competitive Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP), with more than $15,730,000 million awarded to the Port of Tacoma to build an off-dock container support facility and $2,444,138 million to the port of Ilwaco reconstruct the East Bulkhead at the port. The announcement follows Senator Murray writing letters of support for both projects and her continued efforts to address supply chain challenges.
“I’m glad to see federal dollars going to Washington state ports to help speed the flow goods at the Port of Tacoma and upgrade the facilities at the Port of Ilwaco,” said Senator Murray. “As Washington state continues to be a global leader in maritime trade, it’s critical that we keep investing in our supply chain capacity and port infrastructure. These federal awards will mean more business for our ports—which in turn means more jobs for local workers, lower prices for consumers, and a stronger economy for local communities and our entire state. Everyone from cherry farmers to aerospace manufacturers rely on the trade that runs through these and other ports, which is why as a voice for Washington state in the Senate, I’m going to keep fighting for investments like these ones in our port infrastructure and supply chains.”
The Port of Tacoma will receive a $15,730,000 PIDP grant in order to build an off-dock container support facility. The project includes the development of three contiguous parcels to support off-dock container terminal operations that are currently hampered by limited on-dock space. The Port will maximize waterfront space by consolidating storage and non-waterfront dependent activities such as empty container storage and the preparation of refrigerated containers outside of the main terminal. This project will improve the Port’s ability to serve container vessels efficiently and increase cargo container capacity at the Port’s Washington United Terminal (WUT). The Off-Dock Container Support Facility will benefit not just the many workers on the docks and in the yards, but also the supply chain businesses that move the goods outside of the port, the manufacturers across the country that rely on the Port to import components and export finished products, and the agricultural producers that export their products across the globe.
“We are extremely grateful to Senator Murray for her leadership and support in securing this grant for the Port of Tacoma,” said Dick Marzano, Port of Tacoma Commission President. “As we continue to see increasing levels of marine cargo activity at our port, it is imperative that we are able to move forward with infrastructure projects like this in order to create and maintain family-wage jobs, improve supply chain efficiencies and lower air emissions by reducing truck congestion. This partnership and investment help ensure that the Port of Tacoma continues to serve as an important economic driver in our region.”
The Port of Ilwaco will receive $2,444,138 in PIDP funding for their East Bulkhead Resilience Project. The Port’s East Bulkhead is located at the commercial fishing wharf, and has endured severe deterioration due to age, frequent flooding, and storm damage. The potential collapse of the bulkhead could render the entire wharf unusable. The project will reconstruct the East Bulkhead and create a brand new facility designed to last 50-100 years. The new facility will accommodate electric shore power for refrigerated units on trucks and boats, and eventually electric vehicles and boats.
“This grant will help secure our region’s economic future by building dock infrastructure that will better withstand the current and future hazards of our changing climate,” said Guy Glenn, Manager of the Port of Ilwaco. “We are grateful for the support of our Senate and Congressional delegations in championing our badly-needed infrastructure resilience project.”
“This grant means more jobs and economic activity at the Port of Ilwaco and businesses like ours who are committed to this region,” said Chris Lam, President of Safe Coast Seafoods. “With this kind of strong support for critical infrastructure renewal, we feel much more confident about growing our footprint and investing in the region.”
###
English 
Spanish