Westport Marina is set to begin a major upgrade to its commercial fishing infrastructure after the Port of Grays Harbor secured a $6.2 million federal grant to replace Float 21.
The grant, awarded by the U.S. Economic Development Administration, will be matched with $2.6 million in non-federal funding. With permits and funding now in place, the port says the project can move toward construction as the first phase of its broader Marina Modernization Plan.
Westport is Washington’s leading seafood landing port and currently ranks 10th nationwide for both the volume and value of seafood landed, according to the Port of Grays Harbor. But much of the marina’s floating dock infrastructure is now between 45 and 60 years old.
The port launched its modernization plan in 2022 to replace, rehabilitate and reconfigure aging docks. The Float 21 project will mark construction of the first new commercial dock at Westport in nearly 50 years.
Following the removal of Floats 19 and 21, the project will create wider and longer slips designed to accommodate the commercial fishing fleet, including larger vessels increasingly calling on Westport.
The new configuration will extend from a 495-foot main float and include fifteen 55-foot slips, six 90-foot slips, one 100-foot slip and a 154-foot end tie. Improvements will also include new steel piles, a gangway and upgraded electrical service, potable water, lighting and fire suppression systems.
“This project is a significant win for the commercial fishing industry,” Westport Marina general manager Molly Bold said in the release. “As more vessels call on Westport, the need for modern, reliable moorage has never been greater.”
Funding for the project comes through the Economic Development Administration’s 2025 disaster supplemental program following the federal disaster declaration for the winter of 2024. The program is intended to help communities recover from natural disasters while strengthening their long-term economic resilience.
Port officials say the investment will support Westport’s working waterfront and the commercial, tribal and recreational fishermen who rely on the marina.
“We are incredibly grateful to the EDA for this funding opportunity to kick off the modernization of the Marina’s floating dock infrastructure that supports hundreds of jobs and a diverse working waterfront,” Port of Grays Harbor Commission President Stan Pinnick said.
With the Float 21 project fully permitted and its funding package complete, the port is preparing to move the modernization project into construction.
