Freight News, Sea

US ports plead for Covid funding

[ December 10, 2020   //   Chris ]

The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) has written to the Congressional leadership and Treasury Secretary Steven Munchin calling for $3.5 billion in Covid-19 relief funding be made available for the maritime transportation sector, citing significant hardships and “unique and unexpected challenges” posed by the pandemic. The letters ask Congress and the Administration to take immediate action to provide the whole of the maritime transportation system with the resources necessary to combat the virus and ensure the safety of the industry’s sizable workforce.

AAPA president and chief executive Christopher Connor noted that while recent news reports show a resurgence of trade at some of country’s largest container ports, “the truth is that most ports are still suffering financially, particularly those that handle non-containerised goods.”

AAPA has also asked the leaders of the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and the Subcommittee on Transport & Safety, to prioritise supply chain industry workforces for access to the Covid-19 vaccine to minimize the potential for disruptions and delays in the vaccine’s distribution.