Port of Oswego Authority to use federal funding to aid container unloading

OSWEGO, N.Y. — The Port of Oswego Authority will use a federal grant of more than $750,000 to buy a new low-emission reach stacker to help port operations.

The funding is a Maritime Administration (MARAD) Marine Highways Grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, the office of U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D–N.Y.) said.

This new equipment will help the Port “significantly improve” its ability to load and unload containers, both on cargo ships and rail, “greatly improving” local operations and “helping ease” supply-chain disruptions, Schumer’s office said.

“With this new equipment, the Port of Oswego will become an even greater hub for the movement of goods throughout the Eastern Great Lakes,” Schumer said. “This new low-emissions reach stacker will allow heavy cargo shipments to more easily unload at Oswego and send their goods off to market across the globe.”

Schumer wrote to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to advocate on the Port of Oswego’s behalf, his office noted.

“The purchase of this critical piece of equipment will allow the Port to create a more resilient transportation system by offering containerized cargo service will help relieve the strain on our landside transportation networks and increase the supply chain resiliency to assure the reliability and capacity for the mobility of goods,” William Scriber, executive director and CEO of Port of Oswego Authority, said.