The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) has announced that it has received a further US$35 million in federal funding for the Boston Harbor Dredging Project, an expansion initiative designed to improve the US east coast’s ability to service the latest generation of megaships.
According to a statement, the investment was secured thanks to the efforts of Senator Edward Markey (D-MA) and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Congressman Stephen Lynch (D-MA) and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (D-MA).
It is part of a $350 million partnership between Massport, the US Army Corps of Engineers and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and is also central to a wider project to accelerate growth at the Port of Boston’s Conley Container Terminal, which has broken its volume record four years in a row.
A skyline of Boston
Currently, the port contributes $4.6 billion in economic activity and directly supports 7,000 jobs and service exports and imports for 1,600 businesses across Massachusetts and New England.
Senator Elizabeth Warren said the dredging project is vital for Massport and the wider economy: “I am pleased that the Army Corps of Engineers requested $35 million in federal funding to continue the Boston Harbor dredging project – an undertaking that would increase economic activity and create thousands of jobs.
A recent Port Technology technical paper looked at the future of container terminal design
“I will work with my colleagues to help secure funding for this critical project for Massport, the City of Boston and the entire region.”
Massport CEO John Pranckevicius also commented: “Investments we make today into the Port of Boston and the Conley Container Terminal are essential for New England to remain an important player in the global economy for years to come.
“We are grateful to our federal partners and to the Baker-Polito Administration for their strong leadership and continued support of the Port.”
As well as the dredging project, the Conley Container Terminal has also recently received three new ship-to-ship cranes and is building two 50-foot berths, as well as automating its gate facilities and expanding its reefer capacity.
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