Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) toured the Honolulu Harbor and Kapalama Container Terminal site recently to check the expansion project being funded by the $3 billion included in the Inflation Reduction Act.
Senator Hirono voted to pass the IRA last month, considered by many to be landmark legislation to lower costs for families by investing in renewable energy.
“Honolulu Harbor is critical to Hawaii’s economy, handling more than 11 million tons of cargo every year,” Hirono said in a release from her office. “As efforts continue to expand the Harbor’s capacity and its ability to serve our state, we also have an opportunity to reduce its impact on our environment. Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act, we’re investing billions of dollars to upgrade and electrify ports in Hawaii and across the country.”
According to the release, the purpose of the KCT project is to improve cargo handling capabilities at Honolulu Harbor, the hub of Hawaii’s commercial harbor system. When completed, the KCT will add about 40% container capacity at the Harbor at a cost of about $555 million.
Included in the project, according to the release are the “construction of a 65-acre container yard, support buildings, entry and exit gates, security fencing, parking, gantry cranes and container handling equipment, and outdoor energy-efficient lighting, as well as building 1,800 linear feet of additional berthing capacity, dredging of the waterfront and harbor channel, widening and reconstructing several piers and elevating the piers by nine feet to mitigate the impacts of rising sea levels.”
Hawaii Department of Transportation Director Jade Butay said more than 90% of goods imported into Hawaii move through the harbors. “We appreciate Senator Hirono’s support as we work to maintain our state’s critical infrastructure,” Butay said.
Senator Hirono helped pass the Inflation Reduction Act last August. It established a new Grants to Reduce Air Pollution at Ports program at EPA, appropriating $3 billion available through 2026. The competitive grants will be available to purchase and install zero-emission port equipment and technology, as well as to help state agencies like HDOT develop climate action plans and carry out any planning or permitting associated with adopting zero-emissions technology. Last year, Senator Hirono also helped pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), which invests more than $17 billion in port infrastructure and waterways.