According to a Journal of Commerce article, Rep. James Oberstar (D-Minn) the Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is proposing federal funding to promote short sea shipping:

The chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is proposing an $85-billion spending plan that would benefit virtually every mode of transportation.

Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minn., told the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee on Thursday that “infrastructure investment creates family-wage construction jobs, and spin-off benefits that ripple throughout the economy. These construction jobs will not be outsourced to another country.”

The program would provide $45 million for short sea shipping and renewal energy loan guarantees. The Maritime Administration would receive $30 million for the Title XI loan guarantee program to build vessels for short sea service, and shoreside terminals and equipment to accommodate short sea shipping.

Located between New York City and Boston, the Port of Providence is ideally situated to attract short sea shipping, which will help alleviate truck congestion on the I-95 corridor, and also help reduce carbon emissions as shipping by sea is far more efficient than transport on our already clogged highways.