The Los Angeles / Long Beach Port Complex will soon benefit from nearly $25 million in federal grants for fortifying security throughout the port facilities.

The grants were announced by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as part of the Port Security Grant Program (PSGP). The award for the Long Beach port area is $12,768,629. Another $11,447,716 is heading to the Port of Los Angeles. PSGP funds address key national priorities by helping to protect ports against small craft and underwater attacks and vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices.

This Grant is another strong recognition by Homeland Security about the importance of ensuring the safety and security of our port complexes in Los Angeles County. We must ensure the continuous, uninterrupted flow of commerce through our ports and this funding will help us do exactly that, said Fourth District Supervisor Don Knabe.

In order to receive funding, eligible port terminals requested funding for eligible projects – especially projects addressing port security priorities. All applications were reviewed by the local United States Coast Guard port captains and scored on uniform rating criteria.

In addition to the awards announced this week, over the past five years, the Grant Program has provided $489 million to enhance dockside and perimeter security in our nation’s seaports.