The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has rescinded or terminated $679 million in federal funding earmarked for 12 offshore wind-related port projects, signaling a sharp pivot away from renewable energy initiatives in favor of traditional maritime infrastructure.
The decision, announced by U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy, affects projects previously approved under discretionary grant programs managed by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and its Maritime Administration (MARAD). The agency said the projects were “not aligned” with the administration’s current goals.
“Wasteful wind projects are using resources that could otherwise go towards revitalising America’s maritime industry,” Duffy said. “Thanks to President Trump, we are prioritising real infrastructure improvements over fantasy wind projects that cost much and offer little.”
Among the canceled investments is $427 million previously awarded to the Humboldt Bay offshore wind project under the Nationally Significant Freight and Highway Projects (INFRA) program. In addition, MARAD withdrew six port infrastructure development grants worth $177 million and terminated five others valued at $75 million.
Projects affected include the Sparrows Point steel marshalling port, Bridgeport Port Authority wind operations hub, the Paulsboro wind port, Arthur Kill Terminal, and others across the East Coast and Great Lakes region.
The Trump administration has framed the decision as part of a broader effort to bolster shipbuilding and support “more reliable, traditional forms of energy.” Duffy said, “Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg bent over backwards to use transportation dollars for their Green New Scam agenda while ignoring the dire needs of our shipbuilding industry.”
Industry stakeholders expressed concern over the move, arguing it may harm both economic development and energy policy goals.
Liz Burdock, CEO of Oceantic Network, criticized the decision as short-sighted. “The Trump administration is weakening our country’s national security and destroying good-paying jobs by pulling critical funding designed to update our ageing maritime infrastructure,” she said.
“Offshore wind port development upgrades facilities and capabilities that serve multiple industries… This political action from the administration is another targeted attack on American jobs and American taxpayers, which will raise electricity prices for millions across the US and put thousands out of work.”
According to Oceantic, the U.S. offshore wind sector has driven $5.1 billion in port investment and supported more than 6,000 jobs to date. The group warned that the rollback could deter future investment and signal instability in U.S. energy policy.
The decision is part of a wider reassessment of federal grant commitments as the Trump administration prioritizes conventional infrastructure and domestic energy production over projects linked to the previous administration’s clean energy agenda.
