Hagåtña, Guam – On Wednesday, July 6, 2022, Governor Lou Leon Guerrero and Lt. Governor Josh Tenorio, alongside Port Authority of Guam leadership, held a groundbreaking ceremony marking the start of the construction and rehabilitation of Hotel Wharf. The development of H-Wharf increases vessel berth capacity for cargo and cruise ships allowing for future homeporting of cruise liners. The project will also support military readiness enabling military assets to be received and deployed at a moment’s notice. The $46 million project was awarded to contractor Sumitomo Matsui Construction Co.
“Josh and I knew we needed to support the Port’s expansion of wharf space to accommodate larger vessels and increase vessel handling capacity. With the impending military buildup and the need to ensure the Port remains capable of providing full service to ocean vessels in support of loading and unloading cargo, our administration provided whatever financial resources we could use to push this project forward,” stated Governor Leon Guerrero. “When presented with the shortfall in this project, our Administration allocated $15 Million from the American Rescue Plan. And in providing these funds, we directed that the Port will freeze its tariff rates for the next two fiscal years which will help to stabilize the prices of goods for our people.”
“The Governor and I, together with our Port Strong Family, are revolutionizing how the Port operates and at the same time pushing a major master plan update for the Port to capture the attention of the Department of Defense (DOD) as its soon to be the largest customer thus diversifying its revenue base,” said Lt. Governor Tenorio. “We are pursuing every opportunity for DOD and the Department of Transportation (MARAD) to become major benefactors in our acquisition of three new STS gantry cranes, replacement of yard equipment, rehabilitation of its wharves and aging facilities, and meeting its alternate fuel storage here in the Pacific.”
The completed project will add over 500 feet of usable wharf water frontage to the Port’s footprint. This will redirect vessels arriving that do not require the use of gantry cranes such as those with construction materials, roll on or roll off operations, and cruise liners away from the main cargo terminal. The anticipated completion of this project is 790 days after the notice to proceed.
To view the groundbreaking in its entirety, visit https://fb.watch/e7t3R-OSFT/.
###