Phase One of the work (500 feet) was mostly completed last year at a cost of $7.6 million, $6.5 million of which was financed by the Rebuild NY Bond Act. Phase Two (310 feet) was completed last month at a cost of $ 4.3 million, financed through NYS DOT by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
The new wharf system allows the Port to handle larger ships and heavier cargo. In addition, these improvements double the number of ships that can be loaded or unloaded at the same time from two to four. “These improvements will allow us to handle the anticipated increase in traffic through the Port in the coming years,” said Rich Hendrick, the Port’s General Manager. “We are focusing our efforts now on bringing that business to the Port of Albany, thus creating more jobs for our longshoremen.” Currently, the Port of Albany handles scrap metal, grain and wood pulp, as well as large equipment produced in Schenectady by General Electric.
The work was competitively bid and awarded to CD Perry and Sons of Troy, New York. Approximately 60 local union workers were employed during the course of construction.
Attendees at the ribbon-cutting included U.S. Congressman Paul Tonko, Albany County Executive Mike Breslin, Albany Mayor Gerald Jennings, Rensselaer Mayor Daniel Dwyer, DOT Regional Director Mary Ivey, Albany County Legislator Lucille M. McKnight, Albany City Hall Treasurer Kathy Sheehan and Longshoreman’s Union local President Jim Keleher.
Mayor Jennings delivered the formal remarks at the event. “With $12 million in Federal and State funding, the entire wharf system has been replaced with a modern, stronger, and safer one, able to withstand the larger ships and heavier cargo of today,” said the Mayor. “The new wharf system also includes an extension of our rail line so that cargo can be unloaded directly onto trains waiting at the docks. That saves time and money and the environment by reducing the number of miles trucks will have to carry unloaded cargo from the Port. With our state-of-the-art wharf system, we can handle more ships than ever before, attract new markets, streamline service to our existing customers, and create new jobs.”
“The Port of Albany is one of the economic engines that keeps the Capital District moving forward,” said Robert Cross, Port District Commission Chairman. “Our new and improved Port facilities will result in more business flowing through the Port and therefore more economic development for our Region.”
U.S. Congressman Paul Tonko reminded the crowd that the port project was built using stimulus money, creating new economic opportunities far beyond the 60 jobs directly involved in construction. “This is a sound investment,” Tonko said. “What does it mean? Larger ships and more cargo and that translates into jobs.”
County Executive Mike Breslin cited these improvements as one more example of the progress Albany maritime transportation has achieved since the Erie Canal was completed in 1825. “It’s a huge step forward to see this port state-of-the-art, so we can quickly load and unload ships headed out to sea,” he commented.”
The port and its tenants account for $428.5 million in annual economic activity and 1,382 jobs for the Capital Region. Currently, about 35 longshoremen work on an average day. “People have been looking to do something like this for years,” said Longshoreman local President Jim Keleher. “More could be put to work if business picks up.”
When asked what’s next, Rich Hendrick said he’s now focusing on finding funding to rebuild the northern part of the wharf on the Rensselaer side of t
