Calling it a hub of job creation and economic activity critical to the regional economy, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer visited the Port of Albany today. The New York Democrat announced a major push to secure a federal grant for the port he says will help upstate manufacturers export their products across the nation and globe via the Hudson River.
- UPDATE: The grant has been approved!
Schumer told the gathering that the grant would help improve current obstacles like moving and storing heavy cargo, while supporting Capital Region manufacturers that develop next-generation technology equipment that is too big or complicated for road or rail transport. "The port needs some infrastructure upgrades. And if these are not made, it could hurt the port in getting new business, and could hurt our upstate manufacturers, because they won't be able to get their equipment in a cheap way to their customers around the globe."
Schumer says the port is looking to improve its ability to handle cargo and containerized cargo so it can support the regional manufacturers developing next generation technology equipment. "There's gonna be an increased need for electrification upgrades in the Northeast over the next five years. Interested manufacturers have already contacted the port about transportation assistance, saying they'll need the ability to efficiently ship large cargo if they're gonna capitalize on this. Large parts of the globe, overseas, they're getting electricity now. Who makes the stuff that makes them electricity? Well, GE and Siemens."
Jeff Connelly is Vice President of Global Supply for GE Power. "There are over a billion people around the world without access to electricity, and that is the mission of our 4,000 local colleagues at GE Power who design and build steam turbines and generators up the road here in our Schenectady facility. We continue to win in this brutally competitive market, where improved efficiencies in these power plants are dictating much larger equipment, much larger footprint. Our newest products are bigger and heavier than ever, but this enables the delivery of power to these regions of the world."
Schumer is urging the Department of Transportation to support the port’s application for $18 million in Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant funds — which Schumer says would enable the facility to demolish and rebuild the 58,000-square foot dock warehouse to better fit a big lift system. TIGER funds would allow the port to reconstruct the entire outdoor maritime terminal on the Albany side of the river, reconstruct the port roadway and complete safety and security upgrades to the terminal. "I've already spoken to the secretary of transportation about this grant. I've told him it's at the very, very top of my list. He's very open to it."
