AAPA – MARAD Initiative to Identify Port Cargo Handling Needs

AAPA and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) announced they will be surveying port authorities and marine terminal operators to identify national port cargo handling needs over the next five to ten years. The Building American Production Capacity for Electric Port Equipment and Other Port Infrastructure Items information collection effort is scheduled to be completed by spring of 2024. A final report is expected in summer 2024.

In addition, through interviews with ports and U.S. manufacturers, this effort will assess the interest and capability of American and foreign manufacturers to produce cargo handling equipment and other relevant port equipment domestically. This project will also assess the feasibility of a pooled procurement model for sourcing electrically powered port equipment and port items.

Given the shortage of American-manufactured equipment to handle cargo and the industry-led push to electrify operations in response to a changing climate, the U.S. must build a domestic capacity for manufacturing clean, electrically powered American cargo handling equipment as an alternative to existing, predominantly foreign sources.