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Port of Coos Bay Seeks Grants for Project

[ July 24, 2024   //   ]

The Oregon International Port of Coos Bay, in collaboration with North Point Development, is seeking three significant federal grants to advance the Pacific Coast Intermodal Port project, or PCIP.
The applications also included letters of support from the Oregon Congressional Delegation and the Building Trades and Carpenters Unions that urged federal funding for the innovative intermodal distribution hub.
The PCIP would establish a vital intermodal gateway for West Coast imports and exports, facilitating the movement of containers and agriculture products through the Port of Coos Bay. Once operational, the facility is projected to handle about 1.2 million TEUs annually and generate 9,400 permanent direct and indirect career path jobs. The port said the project will establish Coos Bay as a critical hub of national and international commerce and establish a stronger economic foundation.
“Importers and exporters are actively seeking additional U.S. port capacity,” said Brianna Hanson, vice president of the Port Board of Commissioners. “Resilient infrastructure is critical for American goods to reach their destination on-time. Recently, global instability, the drought in the Panama Canal, conflict in the Red Sea and collapse of F. Scott Key Bridge are all stark reminders of the need for supply chain resilience.”
Federal funding would unlock additional private investment and help rejuvenate a community that has struggled to diversify its economy since the timber years when the Port of Coos Bay was the world’s busiest lumber port. The project is also seen as a vital step in helping local businesses once again having a year-around customer base.
The PCIP project encompasses three integral components: the deepening and widening of the Coos Bay Federal Navigation Channel, system-wide upgrades to the Coos Bay Rail Line (CBRL), and the construction of a rail-served maritime terminal on Port-owned property on the North Spit. While previous plans involved seeking funding through the MEGA grant program, the revised approach focuses on leveraging multiple grants to support critical planning and design enhancements.
North Point Development will spearhead the construction of the rail-served marine terminal, featuring electrified crane-served ship berths and an integrated rail yard designed to optimize container handling efficiency while minimizing emissions. The PCIP will incorporate innovative design elements, emphasizing climate resilience such as full-electrification and predominantly rail-based landside container movements. By prioritizing rail transportation, the project aims to alleviate highway congestion from the country’s aging infrastructure and significantly reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.
“Too often we treat our critical infrastructure needs as if we are filling potholes in the supply chain, rather than building the new and needed road,” said Chad Meyer, CEO of North Point Development. “This is an opportunity to be forward-thinking. The PCIP is not just a container terminal project, it’s the creation of an entirely new shipping highway for international commerce. The PCIP creates a crucial new logistical throughput to ensure American goods get to market while enhancing the security of imported products by creating an alternative to clogged domestic ports.”
The PCIP project has garnered widespread support, with US$55 million in funding secured from the state of Oregon and bipartisan endorsement from state and federal legislators across the nation. More than 150 letters of support from diverse stakeholder groups underscores the project’s significance and community support.
The Port of Coos Bay is working on a transition plan following the announcement in June that CEIO John Burns is ending his tenure after nearly 10 years. Burns tenure included the Channel Modification Project and the continued modernization and expansion of the Coos Bay Rail Line.
Burns last day is yet at the port is yet to be determined.

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