The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) recently granted its first TIGER grant award to the Port of Hueneme in California.
This grant, which is worth $12.3 million, will fund important improvements at the port to keep it operating smoothly. Upgrades include deepened berths, modernized cargo infrastructure, strengthened wharfs, and newly connected dock rails. Thanks to private-sector financing, port funds, and secured grants, the port has $12.2 million as an approximate balance for costs.
The new TIGER fund is an important part of the Intermodal Improvement Project at the Port of Hueneme. This project will enable the port to have more cold storage, the ability to house larger-capacity vessels, and greater handling and cargo treatment capabilities.
In addition, the port will be able to handle more imports and exports for agriculture. The port will also soon be able to apply on-dock rail improvements to make transferring the cargo much more efficient.
The port generates $1.1 billion each year in economic return to its local community through cargo activities. This in turn creates $69 million in local as well as state taxes. The port also supports 10,200 jobs throughout the area. The improvements will improve the productivity, asset utilization, growing cargo flows, customer demand responses, regional congestion reduction, and air quality in California.
