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DOT completes Port of Providence TIGER Project

[ June 7, 2016   //   ]

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administrator Paul “Chip” Jaenichen, Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo and Senator Jack Reed, along with state and local officials, christened a new crane barge on June 6, marking the completion of a nearly $20 million project that substantially enhances cargo handling capabilities at the Port of Providence. Funded, in part, by a $10.5 million Transportation Investments Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant in 2010, the crane barge, along with two high performance cranes that were delivered in 2013, have transformed the port into a modern marine cargo center.

The $10.5 million TIGER grant supported the purchase of a marine barge and two high performance cranes, as well as specialized equipment that allow the cranes to move a variety of cargo. The barge will be used as a platform for the cranes.  The new cranes, which can transfer cargo to and from vessels twice as fast as the old cranes; and the barge, which enables cargo transfer for vessels too large to be positioned at the dock; modernize and enhance existing port infrastructure, facilitates the expansion of bulk operations, and supports the development container operations.

The Port of Providence is one of the busiest ports in the Northeastern United States, and one of only two deep-water ports in New England. According to the port officials, ProvPort has generated an estimated $200 million total economic impact on the region, provided more than $60 million in direct business revenues and $16 million in revenue to local and state governments.

To date, 43 TIGER grants totaling nearly $524 million have been awarded to our Nation’s ports and maritime transportation projects, representing 11.4 percent of total TIGER funds awarded.

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