The Port is pleased to announce it has secured a $17.9 Million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to reconnect the Bellingham Shipping Terminal to the BNSF main line and return this asset to a fully functioning multimodal terminal.
The new rail connection will create jobs, reduce carbon emissions, and keep supply chains and the economy moving forward by allowing the efficient transportation of marine cargo on over 32,500 miles of track in 28 states and 3 Canadian provinces. Ship-to-rail cargo is a highly efficient, low-carbon method for transporting goods which removes trucks from the road, reduces congestion, and provides businesses with more reliable shipping options.
The Bellingham Shipping Terminal is one of only 11 deep-water ports in Washington. In 2022, Washington ports handled the import and export of 55.5 Billion tons of non-containerized cargo such as automobiles, windmills and grain worth $36.5 Billion. In Whatcom County, over 6000 jobs are created or supported by marine trades representing 7% of the total workforce.
The Shipping Terminal has historically been the centerpiece of Whatcom County’s vibrant working waterfront. The new rail connection will help fully reactivate the terminal and complement an ongoing, $27.5 Million Port modernization project to remove historic contamination and increase navigation depth, strengthen the main dock for heavy cargo and equipment, and install a state-of-the-art stormwater management system.
The new rail connection is expected to be in service by 2028.
DOT awarded the grant funding through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Program, which enables communities to carry out road, rail, transit and surface transportation projects with significant local or regional impact. U.S. Senator Patty Murray, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, created the RAISE program in 2009 to keep Washington and America moving forward.
The Port would like to extend a huge thank you to U.S. Senator Patty Murray, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen and the many project stakeholders who submitted letters of support and helped champion this important project. U.S. Ports were awarded $48.4 million through the 2024 RAISE award program with the Port of Bellingham receiving the largest award of any port.