US Department of Transportation disburses over $35M in maritime infrastructure funds

July 21, 2025, by Sara Kosmajac

The United States Department of Transportation (DOT) has unpacked more than $35 million in maritime financing under the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) program, which provides funding for capital investments in surface transportation.

Illustration. Courtesy of the Port of Los Angeles

The funding, which was revealed on July 15, represents a total of $488 million set to go toward 30 maritime, aviation and railroad transit projects, with the goal of improving safety, minimizing congestion, and spurring economic growth, according to US Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy.

The maritime segment of the financing will go to three port projects in Alaska and Pennsylvania, totaling more than $35 million.

Specifically, in Pennsylvania, the Redevelopment Authority of the County of Bucks has been awarded the highest funding amount possible under the BUILD grant— $25 million—for the revitalization of the Bristol Port Terminal.

As informed, this project revolves around designing and constructing improvements to the port facility, including the building of a new circa 1,100-foot dock, the modernization of offloading equipment, dredging of nearly 70,000 cubic yards of material and the integration of ‘enhanced’ rail systems.

In Alaska, the Matanuska-Susitna Borough received $7.89 million for the Port MacKenzie Barge Ramp project, which will see the construction of an approximately 60,000 square-foot barge ramp at Port MacKenzie to support barge haulout and loading operations.

Additionally, the Chilkoot Indian Association has secured $2.82 million for the Dock Rebuild Planning initiative, focused on planning and designing the reconstruction of a dock at Portage Cove in Haines.

“Under President Trump, America is building again. From making families safer on our roads to expanding our ports, these grant selections reflect our commitment to unleashing America’s full potential with envy-of-the-world infrastructure. We will continue to move quickly to get money out the door to get dirt moving,” Transportation Secretary Duffy highlighted.

Since President Donald Trump took over the White House for the second time, multiple visions targeting maritime rejuvenation across sectors and segments have been unveiled, from the proposal to open a designated Office of Shipbuilding to the re-introduction of the New SHIPS for America Act, which envisions the US having at least 250 commercially deployed ships at any given time.

The act is also focused on strengthening economic security, supporting national defense and, most importantly, revamping United States shipbuilding.

Efforts to boost port infrastructure have also increased, particularly in terms of ensuring more sustainable operations for America’s international trade lifelines. For instance, in 2024, under the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Ports Program, seven ports in California were awarded funding to construct zero-emission infrastructure and implement climate and air quality management strategies.

Among the winners were the ports of San Diego, Los Angeles, Oakland, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and others.

More recently, namely in mid-July 2025, US Senator Alex Padilla presented the Clean Shipping Act of 2025 and co-led the Maritime Pollution Accountability Act, both targeting maritime emission reduction and environmental preservation in shipping.

If passed as law, the former act would set a path to eradicate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the operations of all ocean shipping players that do business with the United States, while the latter would comprise a pollution fee on the biggest marine ships dropping off cargo at American ports, while promoting the utilization of cleaner marine fuels.

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