More than 200 years ago, an American ship, the SS Savannah, departed the beautiful port city of Savannah, Georgia, for England as the first vessel under steam propulsion to cross the Atlantic. In recognition of the historic voyage and 114 years later, Congress proclaimed May 22 as Maritime Day.
A lot has changed since the Savannah’s transoceanic voyage.
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Today, the vast majority of commercial ships are powered by diesel engines. Hybrid and new fuel sources such as liquefied natural gas and methanol are also being adopted by carriers. Most recently, forward-looking leaders such as Administrator Stephen Carmel at the U.S. Maritime Administration see small modular reactors as a technology that can once again transform the maritime industry.
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This month, MARAD published a request for information to support the development and deployment of U.S.-built SMRs within the marine transportation system.
Even with all the technological innovations in maritime propulsion, there’s always a constant: evolving ships need next-generation ports to serve as a vital transition point between sea and land. Ports remain essential nodes in the supply chain, catalysts for dynamic economic growth, and key strategic resources in a strong national defense.
According to American Association of Port Authorities research, the U.S. port and maritime industry supports $2.9 trillion in economic activity and 22 million jobs worth $1.8 trillion in wages and benefits.
U.S. ports are incredibly grateful to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and his team for helping us ring in Maritime Day a few weeks ago with their recently announced $774 million investment in our nation’s port system. That is the largest amount awarded in one year since the Port Infrastructure Development Program was first established in 2019.
Thirty-seven crucial projects received fiscal 2025 PIDP grant awards. These awards are tangible investments in our nation’s hard infrastructure. Taxpayers will receive a return on their investment as the money will fund projects to enhance our ports. New investment will refurbish terminals, upgrade multimodal exchanges, and fund new state-of-the-art equipment to move American-made goods and what we consume.
But we cannot stop there. The need far exceeds projected funding. Industry research shows the PIDP is oversubscribed at a rate of more than 4 to 1, meaning that for every dollar the federal government awards, our nation’s ports apply for $4.51 dollars worth of infrastructure. As demand grows, funding should grow with it. To make matters worse, advanced appropriations, including approximately $450 million per year for the PIDP that became law in 2021, are set to expire in 2027. This lapse in key grant funding could leave America’s ports without the resources necessary to continue upgrading assets and ill-equipped to compete globally. A dramatic drop in PIDP funding also leaves additional state, local, and private dollars that are unlocked by upfront federal investment on the table when our ports and nation need it most. America’s ports can’t just survive — they must thrive.
That’s why, in the spirit of this year’s Maritime Day and many more to come, it is critical for Congress to fully fund the PIDP and appropriate $10.9 billion over five years for the program as they consider the next Surface Transportation Reauthorization bill. That figure isn’t one we fished from the bottom of the sea. It’s the exact amount America’s ports applied for over the last five years.
Unless you work at a port or have gone on a cruise, most Americans never see a port up close. In my previous role as the deputy administrator of MARAD, I was privileged to travel around the country and visit many of our ports and those who lead them. Ports are dynamic, distinctive places that never stop moving, powered by dedicated workers who keep essential cargo flowing.
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Try checking your nearest port’s website and consider planning a visit. Many of America’s ports offer public tours and welcome community members to learn about and celebrate the industry’s vital contributions to the nation.
This Maritime Day, we celebrate our maritime heritage by recognizing the workers, communities, and infrastructure that keep America connected, competitive, and secure. To keep our ports delivering, Congress’s priorities must match the significance of the maritime industry with sustained, long-term investment. The future of American commerce and maritime strength depends on it.
Sang Yi is the president and CEO of the American Association of Port Authorities and is a former deputy administrator of the U.S. Maritime Administration.
