MTS Emergency Relief Act strong first step in providing funding to Ports

AAPA encourages Congress to move expeditiously on port relief efforts

Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY), chairman of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee, and Peter DeFazio (D-OR), chair of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, introduced the Maritime Transportation System Emergency Relief Act. The authorization bill establishes a program to allocate dedicated maritime assistance and emergency relief grant funds.

Once appropriated, these funds would be made available to U.S. public port authorities for emergency response, cleaning and sanitization, staffing, workforce retention and paid leave, procurement and use of personal protective equipment, debt service payments, and for infrastructure repair.

American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) President and CEO Christopher J. Connor was pleased to see the bill introduced and stated that “COVID-19 relief is critical for the port and maritime industry in response to challenges faced as a result of the pandemic. Relief grant funds will help U.S. ports to manage the impact that this pandemic is having on their ability to function efficiently and for maintaining a ‘state of readiness’.”

The relief bill establishes a program to allocate dedicated maritime assistance and emergency relief grants that AAPA strongly supports. Mr. Connor went on to say, “AAPA applauds the work of Subcommittee Chairman Maloney and the passion that Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio has demonstrated for the maritime industry. Chairman DeFazio understands that relief is needed now. While we know that this is an authorization bill, it’s AAPA’s hope that the bill be adopted with a strong intent for its funding and that Congress will move expeditiously.”

While this program would not make whole those who have lost revenues as a result of this pandemic, it would ensure that no port misses a debt payment or is forced to lay off staff related to this or future natural disasters.