A Message from Port Authority of Guam General Manager Rory J. Respicio
 
 

Hafa Adai and welcome to the Port Authority of Guam website! Here you will find very important information regarding the Jose D. Leon Guerrero Commercial Port Authority of Guam (PAG). Our Port is the largest deep-water seaport in the Western Pacific Region. As the only commercial port on the island, it provides marine transportation services to local, private, federal, and military customers. In addition, it is the primary transshipment hub for neighboring islands in the region serving a population of more than 400,000.

With more than 90% of containerized and breakbulk commodities passing through its wharves and the lifeline between Guam, the region, and the rest of the world, it is critically important that the Port Authority of Guam invests in initiatives that will upgrade its infrastructure, facilities, and equipment to achieve resiliency, ensure supply chain sustainability, and enhance operational capacity and services.

Over the past decade, the Port has grown and evolved into a world-class commercial port and has successfully implemented past master plans, evidenced with the recent completion of the $50 Million Port Modernization Program, ground-breaking for the Hotel Wharf Rehabilitation Project, federal funding to repair Golf Pier and F1 – F6 wharves, and bond funding for several critically important capital improvement projects.

Over the past 5 years, the Port has invested nearly $56 Million in completed, ongoing and approved CIP projects to upgrade and modernize the sea port. This includes $8.2 Million in completed projects and $47.7 Million in active, approved or ongoing projects.

The Port currently has submitted grant applications for $71 Million in projects through MARAD, FEMA and the Department of Interior which includes funding requested to purchase new gantry cranes. The island’s only commercial seaport also has $593 Million in planned future projects that require funding. These critical projects include structural upgrades to the Port’s wharves to support new container cranes as well as Hotel Wharf rehabilitation to conform to BAA and seismic code requirements.
 

2023 MASTER PLAN
The Port’s 2023 Masterplan has been approved by their board and is now going through public input and review for final adoption. The Master plan will further enhance the Port’s core capabilities, achieve resiliency and implement new strategies based on the agency’s financial, operation and sustainability needs. The Port’s Masterplan defines its near-term and long-term approach to modernization, maintain fiscally viable operations and promote increased awareness and consensus on its approach toward becoming sustainable and more energy efficient. The updated Master Plan will modernize facilities and services while recognizing the evolving priorities of Guam’s community and the Western Pacific Region.
 

INDO-PACIFIC STRATEGY AND PACIFIC DETERRENCE INITIATIVES
Looking forward, the Port continues to develop its maintenance and capital improvement projects, however, the new Master Plan pivots to a focus on Geopolitical issues and how the Port will be able to reposition itself so that the Department of Defense becomes the Port’s biggest consumer. Over the past few years, the Port has engaged in various in-person meetings with federal partners and Department of Defense (DOD) leadership, including Vice Admiral Michelle C. Skubic, in order to share the Port of Guam’s unique funding challenges and how DOD remains crucial to the Port’s readiness and our ability to serve the entire region. These discussions are critical as we all recognize Guam’s strategic importance to the efficiency and reliability of the nation’s supply chain. This includes carriers operating in the Pacific and local and military cargo that flows in and out of Guam and throughout the region.

Shifting from a modernization mode to a now more pronounced resiliency and readiness mode of management, infrastructure hardening and operation, the Port has established improved relationships with key stakeholders and meets regularly with DOD officials on their needs as tensions in our region continue to rise.

The geopolitical climate in the Indo-pacific region makes it a critical time for Guam, especially for the Port Authority, as the Port must have the capacity to provide full service to ocean vessels in support of loading and unloading cargo operations while meeting demands of the military realignment and buildup activities.
 

SHIP-TO-SHORE (STS) GANTRY CRANES
The Port’s $50 Million Terminal Expansion project was “Chapter 1” in our efforts to address Department of Defense concerns that the Port would be an impediment to the military buildup.

“Chapter 2” is now the gantry cranes.

To give some perspective, the Port currently utilizes three used gantry cranes that are more than 40 years old and based on consultant reports, they will reach the end of their expected service life and will need to be replaced next year. The three cranes can meet the forecasted demand for the Department of Defense buildup. But if just one (1) of those cranes goes out of service prior to replacement, it will delay the military buildup by four (4) years! If two of those old cranes go out of service, the Port would not be able to meet commercial demand or the DOD mission.

The Port has applied for federal grants and loans to secure gantry cranes and is developing the STS gantry cranes specifications for procurement. The acquisition of new STS gantry cranes would be the first new crane the Port would procure in its 47 years of autonomy as past and current cranes have been second-hand equipment owned by other American ports. We are pursuing every opportunity for the Department of Defense and the Department of Transportation Maritime Administration to become major benefactors in the Port’s acquisition of new cranes, as well as the replacement of yard equipment, and the rehabilitation of wharves and aging facilities.
 

BI-PARTISAN SUPPORT IN CONGRESS
The Port has spent the last year laying the groundwork and even secured bipartisan support for the expansion of its facilities and the acquisition of new cargo handling equipment and three new gantry cranes. Working with members of Congress and other critical federal partners, the we continue to advocate for Guam seeking U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and the Department of Defense to fund the Port of Guam’s readiness program along with statutory authorization for the execution of funds so that the Port does not become a choke-point in the deployment of military and civilian commodities.

The Port sustains the economies of the Western Pacific Region as the lifeline to the rest of the world and plays a central role in providing critical support for military readiness in the context of the Department of Defense’s Indo-Pacific Strategy and the Pacific Deterrence Initiatives. Because of the critical role the Port Authority of Guam has for our region and the rest of the nation, it is imperative that the PAG secures the resources to build capacity and resiliency.

The Port’s impact on the quality and sustenance of life for the island, the region and our entire nation cannot be understated. The Port Authority of Guam is making strides to upgrade and harden their facilities for the future sustainability of our island’s only commercial seaport while focusing on the critical role the Port plays for the Department of Defense’s Indo-Pacific Strategy and Pacific deterrence efforts. Geopolitical matters make this a pivotal point at the Port and that is imperative that the PAG secures the resources to build capacity and resiliency.

We have accomplished so much in the last several years and our success is due to the guidance and support of Governor Lou Leon Guerrero, Lt. Governor Josh Tenorio, our Board of Directors and our hard-working Port Strong Family. Thank you for your interest in the Port and for visiting our website.

RORY J. RESPICIO