Port of Cleveland Awarded $27 Million Federal Infrastructure Improvement Grant

Cleveland, OH (October 28, 2022) – The Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority (Port of Cleveland) announced it has been awarded a $27,223,711 grant to improve cargo handling efficiencies, modernize and expand its electric, and stormwater infrastructure. The grant was awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Port Infrastructure Development Program, which is administered by the U.S. Maritime Administration.

“We appreciate Northeast Ohio’s congressional delegation, Secretary Buttigieg, and MARAD Administrator Rear Admiral Phillips (US Navy, Ret.) for recognizing the importance of investing in the Port of Cleveland, and more broadly, Northeast Ohio’s economy,” said William D. Friedman, President and CEO of the Port of Cleveland. “By enhancing our port’s operations and improving our infrastructure, this grant will help create quality local jobs while bolstering our region’s competitiveness on the global stage.”

The Project will improve the Port’s largest warehouse (Warehouse A), continue the implementation of the Port Authority’s Stormwater Master Plan that seeks to improve the quality of stormwater discharging into Lake Erie, make necessary electrification investments to prepare the Port for a zero-emissions future, and construct a new on-Port maritime learning and resource center to support hands-on learning programs that prepare Davis Aerospace & Maritime High School students for employment opportunities in the maritime industry.

“This project will make key steps towards improving the quality of stormwater discharging from the Terminal into Lake Erie and lay the groundwork for the Port’s electrification and emissions reduction efforts,” said Nicholas LaPointe, Director of Planning & Capital Development at the Port of Cleveland.

This funding will have a significant regional economic impact given that the Port of Cleveland is the first major U.S. port of call on the Great Lakes. For ships transiting the St. Lawrence Seaway System, Cleveland is a gateway to major Midwest markets such as Columbus, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, and Chicago.