North Carolina State Port Authority

North Carolina State Port Authority (NCSPA) is a U.S. state government entity and port authority headquartered in Wilmington, North Carolina, operating strategic maritime infrastructure facilities at ports in Wilmington and Morehead City. The organization serves as a critical provider of specialized maritime logistics and infrastructure support services to federal agencies, including the Department of Defense and civilian maritime operators. NCSPA has established itself as a reliable partner for federal agencies requiring berthing, docking, vessel support, and cargo handling services, leveraging its modernized port facilities and investments in infrastructure to support both defense operations and civilian maritime commerce along the North Carolina coastline.

Through federal contract awards, NCSPA has provided diverse maritime support services to multiple federal agencies. The organization has delivered wharf services to the U.S. Marine Corps under multiple delivery orders issued against a single-award indefinite delivery contract, with individual orders valued between $49,363 and $141,367, covering the period from 2021 through 2026. NCSPA has also provided berthing and docking services to support specific federal maritime operations, including berthing of the MCFARLAND vessel for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredging operations valued at $109,669.80 and docking and port support services for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) research vessels, including the NOAA Ship Ferdinand Hassler ($49,231.86), the NOAA Ship Pisces ($11,259.84), and the NOAA Ship Nancy Foster ($8,771.26). All contract awards were issued through open competition with no set-aside designations. NCSPA served as the prime contractor on all identified contract awards, with one documented sub-award relationship involving Weeks Marine, Inc. for services in February 2021. The consistent pattern of Marine Corps delivery orders demonstrates sustained operational demand for maritime infrastructure support in the Cape Fear region.

Through federal grant awards, NCSPA has secured substantial funding for port infrastructure modernization and security enhancements across multiple federal grant programs. The organization received a transformative $28,472,092 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration (CFDA 20.823 - Port Infrastructure Development Program) awarded in December 2025 for grain handling infrastructure expansion at Cape Fear, including construction of two concrete grain storage silos with 18,000 metric tons capacity, purchase and installation of grain and cargo handling equipment, electrical system upgrades, and acquisition of rolling equipment such as railcar movers and excavators. NCSPA also received a $22,567,500 Maritime Administration grant for constructing a state-of-the-art intermodal rail facility at the Port of Wilmington, featuring four dedicated rail sidings, approximately 9.7 acres of paving, three reach stackers, and technology system enhancements including optical character recognition and radio frequency identification capabilities, with performance through October 2029. The Federal Emergency Management Agency's Port Security Grant Program has been a significant funding source, with NCSPA receiving multiple awards totaling over $3.4 million since 2021, including $1,000,000 (September 2021-August 2024) for Port of Cape Fear security enhancements, $1,500,000 (September 2022) for Port of Morehead City security infrastructure, $325,000 (September 2025-August 2028) for Cape Fear region security improvements, and $339,500 (September 2025-August 2028) for Morehead City security enhancements. NCSPA received a $708,750 Project Grant from the Environmental Protection Agency Region 4 under the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) program in July 2024 to replace legacy diesel drayage trucks and container handlers with new clean diesel equipment at the Port of Wilmington. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration awarded a Project Grant in May 2023 for rail infrastructure improvements at the Radio Island Terminal in the Port of Morehead City Complex, with closeout activities completed to restore safe rail operations meeting FRA Class 1 Track Safety Standards to support growth in offshore wind and automotive sectors.

NCSPA holds a single-award indefinite delivery contract with the U.S. Marine Corps for wharf services in the Cape Fear, North Carolina region, valued at $526,324.26 with performance through May 17, 2026. This contract was awarded on May 18, 2022, and serves as the parent vehicle for multiple firm fixed-price delivery orders issued by the Marine Corps, with individual orders consistently exceeding $50,000 and frequently exceeding $100,000. The IDC demonstrates the Marine Corps' reliance on NCSPA's specialized maritime infrastructure capabilities for mission-critical wharf and berthing services supporting defense operations in the Cape Fear region. The contract operates under open competition with no set-aside designation, reflecting the organization's competitive positioning to provide these essential maritime support services on an as-needed basis over the extended performance period.