John Porcari, former deputy secretary and chief operating officer at the U.S. Department of Transportation, has been appointed as port envoy to a task force formed by the White House to help the government address domestic supply chain challenges to economic recovery.
He will be part of the Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force and will coordinate with stakeholders to tackle shipping backlogs caused by congestion at U.S. ports, DOT said Friday.
Porcari worked at DOT from 2009 to 2013 after his prior role as secretary of Maryland's Transportation Department. His private sector career included leadership roles at WSP USA, Axilion and 3P Enterprises.
The White House formed the task force group in June to address demand-supply mismatch in different sectors such as construction, semiconductor, transportation and agricultural industries.
DOT leaders and trade organizations have engaged in discussions to identify possible strategies for addressing cargo movement challenges and bolstering data-sharing efforts.
The Federal Railroad Administration pledged $362 million for congestion reduction projects via the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Grant Program.
Additionally, the Biden administration aims to raise as much as $17 billion for port infrastructure modernization work.