The Port of Long Beach (POLB) announced Oct. 23 that it has been awarded more than $2.6 million by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to “protect critical infrastructure and ensure the safe movement of trade at the nation’s second-busiest seaport.”
As the nation’s third-largest recipient of the agency’s Port Security Grant Program, POLB says it will invest the funding into “strengthening cybersecurity, improving drone detection capabilities and upgrading network infrastructure that supports the efficient flow of cargo.”
DHS also awarded $4.2 million to six terminals within POLB, the Long Beach Police Department’s Port Police Division and the Long Beach Fire Department.
“We thank the Department of Homeland Security for driving innovative security practices and heightening the Port’s ability to protect the people and the infrastructure responsible for moving cargo valued at more than $200 billion annually,” said POLB CEO Mario Cordero. “This grant will bolster the Port’s existing security systems and enhance the resiliency of our operations in the event of an emergency.”
“This grant will elevate our ability to protect the harbor with state-of-the-art technology and secure the livelihoods of more than 2.6 million people whose jobs depend on Port operations,” said Long Beach Harbor Commission President Bonnie Lowenthal. “We are grateful for this federal funding to strengthen this critical gateway for trans-Pacific trade.”
