Facility Development: Guam, New York City
Maritime Administration Celebrates Completion of the Guam Commercial Port Improvement Project
The Guam Commercial Port Improvement Project has been completed. The $50 million project, administered by the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) on behalf of the Department of Defense (DOD), has transformed Guam’s strategic commercial sea port into what MARAD describes as "a world-class facility ready to meet the demands of the future."
"As Guam’s only commercial port, these facilities are key to unlocking a more prosperous future for the people of the territory – and the whole of the Western Pacific Region," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.
Administrator Paul ‘Chip" Jaenichen joined Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo, Governor Eddie Baza Calvo and other local officials for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
"This port will establish Guam as the preeminent regional hub for waterborne commerce, transit and defense," said Mr. Jaenichen. "That’s why I’m especially proud that the Maritime Administration played a role in making this happen."
The Port of Guam, originally constructed in the 1950s by the U.S. Navy and transferred to the government of Guam in the 1960s, has remained largely unchanged since construction. MARAD says that modernization was needed because the port "is a vital asset to the economy of Guam and to the national security of the United States."
Completed on time and under budget, the upgraded port now has an additional 4.6 acres of container yard, providing the facility with an increased capacity for stacking and storing ship containers. The port also has an improved gate area, which will increase the efficiency and speed of cargo traffic. In addition, the port breakbulk yard has been expanded by 10 acres. Infrastructure improvements to the Electrical Load Center will provide access to electricity in the event of a power outage.
The Port of Guam Improvement Enterprise Program was created to provide for the planning, design and construction of projects for the Port of Guam to increase capacity, relieve port congestion and provide greater access to port facilities. Under the program, MARAD provides federal oversight and coordination of the port upgrades funded by Federal and non-Federal entities. The FY 2010 Supplemental Appropriations Act authorized DOD to provide $50 million to finance the port improvements.
New York City: NYCEDC Releases RFP for 72-Acre Maritime Industrial Space at South Brooklyn Marine Terminal
The New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) on December 4 released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for maritime businesses to operate at the 72-acre South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (SBMT). The RFP will activate SBMT, a marine industrial facility with berthing space for cargo ships and barges, further supporting an industry that provides thousands of well-paying jobs. With direct rail access to the national rail system, the facility, according to NYCEDC, has the potential to reinvigorate southern Brooklyn’s transportation networks and reduce cross-harbor trucking.
"Sunset Park is home to some of New York City’s most productive and valuable stretches of working waterfront, and bringing maritime uses to SBMT will make the waterfront even more active," said NYCEDC President Maria Torres-Springer. "SBMT will play a vital role in our efforts to provide New York City businesses with additional transportation and logistical capabilities necessary to move products across the region and country, driving economic growth, helping to improve the resiliency of our freight and transportation networks, and creating even more opportunities for the Sunset Park community."
The RFP seeks to identify one or more maritime industrial or commercial ventures or other private entities to enter into a long-term agreement with NYCEDC to support growth in regional cargo movement, demand for waterborne goods and the maritime industry in New York Harbor, creating even more job opportunities on the Sunset Park waterfront.
Potential uses for the site include: marine container loading and unloading, bulk and breakbulk stevedoring, vehicle and equipment import and export utilizing maritime transport, waterborne freight warehousing and distribution and maritime construction, among many others. Reactivating SBMT will provide a new gateway for goods to be distributed within the city and Long Island, reducing dependency on trucking from port facilities in other states, while providing new industrial jobs locally. The city has previously expressed an interest in the long-term, phased development of a deep water port facility on the Brooklyn waterfront.
In May, the city council approved a 39-year master lease between the city and NYCEDC to activate an industrial maritime facility at SBMT. The project set the groundwork for the return of maritime service to SBMT. To ensure that reactivating SBMT maximizes local benefits to the adjacent community, the agreement reached between the city, NYCEDC and the city council provided for the formation of the Sunset Park Waterfront Planning and Jobs Task Force, which is made up of representatives from local community-based organizations and businesses and co-convened by NYCEDC and the Southwest Brooklyn Industrial Development Corporation.
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