Port of Cleveland wins $4.2 million Ohio grants for Dock 22 upgrades and CHEERS breakwater work
State funding targets cargo efficiency and long-term dredge capacity
The Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority has been awarded $4.2 million in state grants to advance two waterfront infrastructure projects at the Port of Cleveland: a major rehabilitation effort at Dock 22 and early-action work tied to the Cleveland Harbor Eastern Embayment Resilience Strategy, known as CHEERS.
The funding comes through Ohio’s maritime assistance framework administered by the Ohio Department of Transportation. Under state law governing the program, port authorities must provide at least a dollar-for-dollar match for grant dollars, and eligible uses include construction and repair of docks and bulkheads, breakwaters, dredge disposal facilities, and associated planning and design services.
How the $4.2 million is split
$2.7 million for the Dock 22 Rehabilitation and Operational Efficiency Project.
$1.5 million for the CHEERS Early Action Breakwater Project.
For Dock 22, the project scope includes repaving and upgrades to stormwater and electrical infrastructure, bulkhead reinforcement, and construction of a vehicle maintenance and hiring hall annex next to Warehouse A. Port officials have said Dock 22 has not undergone significant upgrades since it was built in 1998.
Dock 22: infrastructure aimed at throughput, safety, and reliability
The Dock 22 work is positioned as an operational modernization package at the port’s General Cargo Terminal. Planned improvements include a two-bay garage intended to support equipment such as reach stackers and forklifts, along with waterfront structural reinforcement. Port leadership has described the upgrades as addressing long-standing infrastructure needs and improving daily efficiency and safety for port operations and the workforce.
CHEERS: early breakwater work tied to dredging strategy and shoreline resilience
The CHEERS early-action component supported by the state grant covers steps such as permitting, final engineering, property acquisition and construction. Regional partners have framed CHEERS as a phased initiative along Cleveland’s East Side lakefront that combines beneficial use of dredged material with shoreline protection and habitat and park creation.
Port officials have stated that, when completed, the CHEERS effort is expected to create about 3.1 million cubic yards of dredged material capacity. The port has said that capacity could extend the useful life of its confined disposal facility by roughly 15 to 20 years while continuing beneficial-use operations.
Port officials said the two projects are intended to strengthen cargo movement and extend the life of critical maritime infrastructure.
Project timeline and broader investment context
Planning and design work is expected to continue during 2026. The port has indicated construction could start in early 2028, with completion targeted for mid-2030.
The new state awards add to a broader, multi-year capital and grant landscape affecting Cleveland’s port and harbor, including federally backed port modernization and ongoing harbor-maintenance work in the region. Port leaders have also pointed to recent large-scale infrastructure investments and grant-supported projects as part of a longer-term push to modernize facilities and strengthen the port’s role in regional freight movement.