The Port of Beaumont was awarded $533,913 in federal funding by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Port Security Grant Program (PSGP), the port announced July 15. The grant will reportedly fund a portion of three major security projects designed to upgrade the port’s video surveillance capabilities and cybersecurity program.

In total, the 2020 Port Security Grant Program awarded $100 million to eligible applicants including port authorities, facility operators, and state and local government agencies, to help protect port infrastructure from terrorism, enhance maritime domain awareness, improve port-wide maritime security risk management, and maintain or reestablish maritime security mitigation protocols that support port recovery and resiliency efforts. Southeast Texas was the beneficiary of six PSGP grants totaling $3.3 million.

“The Port Security Grant program is vital to supporting the National Preparedness System to ensure the nation has the capabilities to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from natural and technological hazards along with terrorist and cyber-attacks,” says Director of Securities, Facilities and Regulatory Compliance Randal Ogrydziak. “The Port of Beaumont’s three Port Security Grant projects will greatly enhance the port’s physical, video surveillance and cybersecurity.”

The Port of Beaumont’s three projects are expected to be complete by summer 2021.