U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. “Today’s announcements are an important step in the administration’s Port Action Plan to strengthen our supply chains, modernize port operations, and combat inflation.”
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) today announced the designation of one new marine highway route, two new marine highway projects, and one project designation extension as part of the America’s Marine Highway Program (AMHP).
The America’s Marine Highway Program supports the increased use of U.S. navigable waterways to relieve landside congestion, provide new and efficient transportation options, and increase the productivity of the surface transportation system.
“Investments in the America’s Marine Highway Program help us move more goods more quickly and more efficiently to the American people, supporting our supply chains even while they continue to come under pressure from pandemic-driven disruptions,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. “Today’s announcements are an important step in the administration’s Port Action Plan to strengthen our supply chains, modernize port operations, and combat inflation.”
Since its inception in 2014, the AMHP has designated 54 marine highway projects. A marine highway project is a planned service, or expansion of an existing service, on a designated Marine Highway Route. A marine highway route is a navigable waterway, capable of transporting freight, located in the United States or its territories. Since 2010, 29 marine highway routes have been designated
In March, the department announced the availability of nearly $25 million in grant funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for the AMHP, the largest single appropriation of funding ever provided for the program.
“Put simply, President Biden is leading the largest-ever federal investment in modernizing our country’s ports—and our domestic coastwise services—and improving both our supply chains and the lives of Americans who depend on them,” said Acting Maritime Administrator Lucinda Lessley. “This is truly an extraordinary moment.”
The new Marine Highway Route, two new Marine Highway Projects, and one Project Designation Extension include:
