Port improvements are part of the infrastructure bill.
President Biden plans to visit the Port of Baltimore Wednesday to promote the funding that will revamp U.S. ports facing huge backlogs. The White House said they plan to move quickly on a $17 billion renovation of the ports approved under the infrastructure bill. The $17 billion will “improve infrastructure at coastal ports, inland ports, and waterways, and land ports of entry along the border,” the White House stated.
The Army Corps of Engineers has 60 days to identify projects that could receive funding. They need to prioritize key ports of entry for modernization and expansion within 90 days.
At ports around America, all available space is occupied by towers of multicolored containers that are stranded until trucks can arrive to haul them away. That is the case in Houston, Los Angeles, and Savannah – every container port to a greater or lesser degree. The supply chain infrastructure was compromised by the pandemic, slowed with a shortage of space and workers, and a lack of preparation for such a vast amount of consumer cargo. Container cargo is up 16% in 2021 over 2020.
Backups ripple through retail businesses, manufacturing, housing, and more. The supply chain logjam means there will be many items that will remain undelivered by Christmas.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For safety for the president as he visits Baltimore.
- For port managers and those who work to mitigate supply chain disruptions.
- About how swiftly infrastructure “revamping” of ports will make a difference.
- About increases in costs due to supply chain slowdowns.
Sources: NPR, Washington Examiner
