![Facilities at the Port of Alaska in Anchorage, one of 15 recipients of federal grant funding under the US Maritime Administration's Port Infrastructure Development Program (Photo: Port of Alaska)](http://media.assettype.com/bairdmaritime%2Fimport%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F200221-7-MARAD.jpg?w=480&auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=max)
The US Maritime Administration (MARAD) has awarded more than US$280 million in discretionary grant funding designed to improve port facilities at or near coastal seaports across the United States.
The MARAD's Port Infrastructure Development Program was established to support efforts by ports and industry stakeholders to improve facility and freight infrastructure.
A total of 15 projects were awarded grants. This number includes six located in opportunity zones, which were created to revitalise economically distressed communities using private investments.
The grant recipients are ports located in Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, and Wisconsin.