Port of Albany awarded infrastructure grant

The grant from the Empire State Development’s Focused Attraction of Shovel-ready Tracts New York (FAST NY) programme will be used to fund the installation of a high-voltage substation, a sanitary wastewater treatment plant, and the intake lines and pump station package for the fire protection system.

“This is great news and will provide a critical boost enabling additional maritime commerce,” said Richard Hendrick, Port of Albany chief executive.

“With grant funding through Empire State Development’s FAST NY Shovel-Ready programme, the port will be able to move forward with the electrification infrastructure including critical long-lead items needed in expanding the port for manufacturing opportunities.”

The Port of Albany project was one of seven awards that received a total of US$32.6 million from the FAST NY programme, which is designed to develop sites across the state to increase its attractiveness to large employers and high-tech manufacturing companies.

The Port of Albany’s Expansion Project is a fully graded 85-acre site with access to 115Kv power lines and the navigable Hudson River that presents a unique asset to manufacturers of a variety of large-scale components.

The port is a key regional economic driver with an annual impact of more than $428 million and approximately 1,400 local jobs and 4,500 jobs throughout the state.

This latest phase of work brings investment to date to nearly US$178 million.