by Mindy Aguon

Guam - The Port Authority of Guam is undergoing significant upgrades since the facility was built in the 60's. Port general manager Joanne Brown says the modernization projects are on schedule and in some cases, are under budget. The agency is working to reprogram that money with the Maritime Administration for other critical projects. The security facility will be completed by the end of the year while the bulk of the projects will get underway in the next six to nine months.

"Next year we will begin the demolition process with our warehouse. It's a 100,000 square foot facility and was pretty much built by the Navy to almost be a bunker. It has 16" concrete walls that are going to need to be torn down. Once that's addressed we will be able to expand our break bulk yard by a substantial amount of area which will make it more convenient to facilitate moving rowrow vessels for example off these ships," she told KUAM News.

Brown says the Port is also making electronic upgrades around the facility and implementing a gate operating system that will monitor all cargo coming off the vessels and track containers.

The projects will provide the Port with a new face of operations and a more secure facility.