The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has revealed the winners of the 2024 Michigan Maritime and Port Facility Assistance Grant Program, which will allocate $5 million to maritime projects throughout the state.
The five chosen projects aim to enhance Michigan’s maritime infrastructure, bolstering the state’s economic edge, lowering freight transportation costs, increasing reliability and lessening the environmental effects of freight movement, MDOT said.
MDOT’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 budget included a one-time appropriation of $5 million for the program, which was signed into law in 2022.
Port of Monroe has been awarded $1.5 million toward a $3.6 million project to build a roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) dock capable of accommodating any Seaway-size vessel importing and exporting diverse and oversize/overweight cargoes.
Verplank Dock Co. has been awarded $1 million toward the $3.5 million excavation of dredged material at the confined disposal facility (CDF) for beneficial reuse.
The City of Cheboygan and U.S. Energy will receive $500,000 toward a $1.9 million project to expand and secure motor fuel supply for northern Michigan by adding a petroleum storage tank at the Cheboygan marine terminal.
The City of Sault Ste. Marie was awarded $ 500,000 for a $1.2 million project to provide safety and security to the cargo area and other enhancements at the Carbide Dock in Sault Ste. Marie.
Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority has been awarded $1.5 million toward a $20 million project to acquire a marine terminal and develop the Detroit-Wayne Mobility Innovation Terminal (DW-MIT) to spur zero-carbon, innovative, intermodal cargo and freight solutions, jobs, and economic development.
Mark Schrupp, executive director of the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority, said, “This grant will help the Port Authority develop infrastructure to launch innovative maritime services and expand the utilization of the Great Lakes for freight operations and power our local and Michigan economies.”
“The Great Lakes and the maritime industry are critical assets to Michigan and our nation,” State Transportation Director Bradley C. Wieferich said. “MDOT looks forward to building upon our existing partnerships with the maritime industry by helping support our economy and add new jobs.”
Michigan’s 3,200 miles of shoreline along four of the five Great Lakes contain 33 active cargo ports that ship or receive cargo. Michigan’s ports handle 51.7 million tons of cargo valued at $4.1 billion annually.