Posted on October 13, 2022
Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate subcommittee overseeing transportation and infrastructure appropriations, announced a federal grant of over $4.1 million from the Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) going to Tidewater Barge Lines, Inc for the purchase of an electric dock crane at the Port of Vancouver. The funding comes as part of The America’s Marine Highway Grant program, which seeks to expand the use of America’s navigable waters.
The equipment purchased through the grant will help meet the demand for additional barge shipments through the Columbia River Marine Highway M-84. This equipment will expand Tidewater’s ability to load, unload, and barge containerized shipments while using the latest in clean energy technology to cut emissions being expelled into the atmosphere.
“Over the past two years, we’ve seen just how important our supply chains are to keeping prices down in Washington state,” said Senator Murray. “That’s exactly why I worked so hard to help secure these dollars for the Port of Vancouver to expand the port’s capacity and help keep goods flowing to families and keep costs down, all while cutting emissions. At the end of the day, this is going to make a major difference to cut emissions, create good-paying jobs, and continue to build a strong economy in Washington state.”
“This award will allow Tidewater to barge thousands of additional containers that would otherwise be trucked along the region’s congested highway system,” said Todd Busch, Tidewater President and CEO. “This federal investment will help meet regional transportation demands and reduce emissions by supporting new clean technology to expand our barge service, which is the cleanest, safest, and most fuel-efficient form of transportation. I would like to thank Senator Murray and the rest of the congressional delegation for all their work to make this project a reality.”
Senator Murray has been a longtime advocate of Washington state ports. In August, Senator Murray held a roundtable discussion in Longview on her recent efforts to support the Port of Longview, strengthen supply chains, and help create good-paying jobs. The 2020 Water Development Resources Act includes changes secured by Murray to the Harbor Maintenance Tax and Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund. These changes will provide billions of dollars each year to invest in and enhance the global competitiveness of ports in Washington state and across the country.
