01.25.24

Port of Port Townsend Secures $2.3M to Boost Maritime Economy

New boat hoist will help retain 171 jobs and attract $12 million in private investment at the Port of Port Townsend

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, announced that the Port of Port Townsend has received a $2.3 million grant from the Department of Commerce (DOC) to purchase a new boat hoist to improve the Port’s boatyard operations.

“Upgrading Port Townsend’s boat yard will help ensure that more local fishing and recreational vessels can get the service they need from nearby marine trades businesses. This investment will help retain 171 jobs, attract $12 million in private investment, and grow port operations,” said Sen. Cantwell.

The new “variable width” boat lift will help improve capacity and efficiency at the boat yard by allowing the Port to safely stack vessels closer together. The new lift will also eliminate reliance on the current 27-year-old “fixed width” lift, which periodically needs scheduled maintenance that interrupts boatyard operations. By creating more space to stack boats and reducing down time, the new lift will result in more projects, marine trades jobs, and port haul-out revenues.

The grant comes from the DOC Economic Development Administration (EDA) and will be matched with $586,459 in local funds. This investment is expected to create or retain 171 jobs and generate $12 million in private investment, according to grantee estimates.

As Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Sen. Cantwell has been a steadfast champion for Washington state’s maritime economy. In October 2022, Sen. Cantwell toured the Point Hudson jetty replacement project and held a roundtable discussion on how to grow the Port Townsend maritime economy. Sen. Cantwell helped secure a $7 million EDA grant to fund half of the $14.1 million jetty replacement project.

In November 2021, Sen. Cantwell worked to include a record $2.25 billion for the Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). In September 2021, Sen. Cantwell led a letter calling to boost funding for the program to help address the ongoing issues with port congestion.

Since 2019, Washington state has received a total of $113,005,433 in PIDP funding for five awards for ports across the state.

Sen. Cantwell has consistently championed and coauthored the legislation to reauthorize the Maritime Administration Authorization and Enhancement Act (MARAD) and the PIDP grant program.

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