(LONG BEACH, Calif.) — The Port of Long Beach will receive a record amount of nearly $70 million in federal funding allocated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for infrastructure upkeep and improvement projects that will promote safe and efficient freight transportation at the nation’s busiest seaport complex.
The funds drawn from the Harbor Maintenance Tax are collected by the federal government from ports based on the value of imports, some domestic cargo and on cruise passengers. Established by Congress in 1986 to fund dredging projects at U.S. seaports, funds from the Harbor Maintenance Tax were typically collected from but not directed to ports like the Port of Long Beach. The Water Resources Development Act of 2020, however, expanded the use of funds to include in-water maintenance and repair projects, allowing for a more equitable distribution among large and small seaports.
Combined, the Port of Long Beach and the Port of Los Angeles will receive a record $148 million as part of the Army Corps of Engineers work plan.
At the Port of Long Beach, funding will support projects that include maintenance dredging, replacing the steel bulkhead along the Back Channel, upgrading fenders and bollards, repairing berthing systems, seismic retrofit and repairs for the Pier C wharf, seismic improvement of the Pier F dike, and miscellaneous rock dike and wharf repairs throughout the port. About $500 million in eligible projects are planned during the next decade.
“After years of donor and energy transfer ports being shortchanged, I’m pleased to see the Army Corps finally implementing the reforms Congress enacted in 2020 to ensure these ports receive their fair share,” said U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif. “When I raised this directly with Assistant Secretary Adam Telle earlier this year, he committed to following the law – and this funding reflects that commitment. These investments will allow the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to move forward on critical infrastructure and maintenance projects, including seismic upgrades, wharf repairs, and other essential improvements that keep our supply chains strong and resilient.”
“Trade from the Port of Long Beach touches every corner of the country, generating $176 billion in income,” said Long Beach Harbor Commission President Frank Colonna. “These projects will help strengthen waterfront structures and improve the navigation of vessels carrying the cargo that supports this economic activity. We are grateful to the Army Corps of Engineers for reinvesting funding in donor ports.”
– Port of Long Beach
