To start, the Port Authority of Guam said it has received $50 million worth of funds from the U.S. Department of Defense on September 24.

The funds, which will be administered by the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD), will be combined with another $54.2 million provided by the port to initiate phase I-A, the port's first phase, of the modernisation project.

According to the port, phase I-A includes the "reconfiguration and expansion of the cargo terminals, creation of a new gate complex, reconfiguration and expansion of selected buildings, upgraded utilities and security features, and state-of-the-art terminal and gate operating systems."

"This is great news for the Port and the people of Guam as we continue to move forward with our aggressive plans to transform the Port Authority of Guam into a world-class facility," said Felix P. Camacho, governor of Guam.

The port said that phase I-A and its followup phase I-B, an extension of the port modernisation project which has yet to receive funding, will be completed over the next five years.

"We have already finished our preliminary design work and have made significant progress on our Modernization Program,” said Rick Agusti, port general manager.

"We are preparing now to transfer the implementation of the construction to MARAD and EA Engineering and they will finalise the design and oversee construction of the Modernisation Program."