Sponsors (4)
Introduced June 9, 2025 by Mike Ezell · Last progress June 9, 2025
The bill trades stronger support for U.S. port equipment manufacturers, national-security protections, and targeted funding flexibility for ports against higher procurement costs, added administrative burdens, uncertainty about eligibility and purchases, and potential slower modernization—benefiting domestic industry while imposing costs and complexity on operators and some consumers.
Terminal operators, vessel owners, and port projects can use capital construction funds to buy/replace cargo handling equipment and to finance U.S.-built vessels, improving terminal reliability and preserving financing flexibility for port projects.
U.S. cargo-handling and crane manufacturers and their workers gain greater market preference as the bill encourages use of domestically made equipment, supporting domestic manufacturing jobs.
Port operators and taxpayers get increased supply-chain and national-security protection because purchases of certain cranes from the People’s Republic of China are restricted, favoring non-PRC suppliers.
Port operators, shippers, and consumers may face higher procurement and operating costs because a preference for U.S.-made equipment and restrictions on PRC cranes (and limits on some automation) can reduce supplier options and raise prices.
Marine terminal operators, port authorities, and the Department of Transportation face increased administrative burdens and legal risk: operators must assess U.S. availability/quality and the Department must run RFIs, expand program oversight, and manage ambiguous provisions.
Smaller and rural ports and less-capitalized terminals risk being disadvantaged because program funds and procurement rules may favor larger, better-capitalized terminals, widening competitive gaps.
Based on analysis of 8 sections of legislative text.
Allows U.S. marine terminal operators to use Capital Construction Funds to buy cargo handling equipment, adds definitions, bans CCF purchases of Chinese-made cranes and some automation, and requires an annual RFI on U.S. equipment availability.
Expands who can use Capital Construction Fund (CCF) agreements and what those funds may buy by allowing U.S. marine terminal operators to use CCFs to acquire, replace, or reconstruct cargo handling equipment used at U.S. ports. Adds definitions for “cargo handling equipment” and “marine terminal,” bars CCF purchases of cranes made in the People’s Republic of China, and prohibits CCF-funded purchases of fully automated equipment if the Secretary finds it would cause a net loss of terminal jobs. Also directs the Secretary to publish an annual Federal Register request for information on U.S.-manufactured cargo handling equipment and share the results with CCF holders. The bill updates multiple provisions of the capital construction fund chapter of Title 46 U.S.C. to reflect these changes, and inserts undefined text at several points (in the supplied excerpt several insertion locations are shown but the actual inserted language is missing), producing some uncertainty about the precise legal and administrative effects of those specific edits.