Pennsylvania extends intermodal cargo incentive program

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf has announced the extension of the Pennsylvania Intermodal Cargo Growth Incentive Program (PICGIP) until July 2023. It was originally slated to end in June.

The program was established in 2015 through the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Multimodal Fund, which makes up to $1 million available annually to ocean carriers that move cargo through Pennsylvanian ports. The funds help secure full-time employment and increase economic activity at the terminals, officials from the governor’s office said in a press release.

Carriers that want to participate but have not visited the Port of Philadelphia in the past six months need to fill out an application on the PennDOT website. Existing participants must complete a data verification form to renew their eligibility for the program. Once enrolled, carriers receive $25 per new container unit loaded or discharged from vessels to a Pennsylvania port.

"Pennsylvania’s ports are more vital than ever and are continuing to increase the volume of essential goods and strengthen the supply chain," Wolf said. "Increasing shipping activity will help ensure that goods are delivered to stores in a timely manner."

Since 2015, PICGIP participants have shipped more than 2.3 million units of cargo through the state, resulting in $5.2 million in incentive funding.