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Harbor Maintenance News

18 Jul 2023

USACE Awarded a Slew of Dredging Work in the First Half of 2023

(Photo: Dredging Contractors of America)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is snapping back from the doldrums of COVID-19, wrapping up a strong first half of 2023 with a slew of awarded dredging work.“The federal government is no different from state and local governments, nor the private sector when it comes to COVID-19 work related recovery and USACE is not an exception,” said William P. Doyle, CEO of the Dredging Contractors of America. “The Army Corps has been steadily issuing contract awards since February, and that’s on the award side.

19 Jun 2023

Dredging: Keeping the Mississippi Open

(Photo: USACE)

“Not only does the top of the river move, but the bottom of the river also moves.” - James Bodron, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division, Regional Business Director.Dredging was the Herculean act that allowed much of the U.S. economy to keep chugging along as usual, at least for Midwest and Central states, as drought conditions threatened to shut down river traffic on the Mississippi River and its tributaries, during fall and winter 2022 and early 2023.The full scope of these U.S.

21 Mar 2023

Great Lakes Reports $138.8 Million in New Dredging Contracts

(File photo: Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation)

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation, the largest provider of dredging services in the United States, announced the receipt of several major dredging awards totaling $138.8 million.The awarded work includes Trujillo Alto Design and Build for the Lago Loiza (Carraízo) Dredging Project (Maintenance, Puerto Rico, $93.1 million); Townsends Inlet to Cape May Inlet Project (Coastal Protection, New Jersey, $28.8 million); Palm Beach Harbor Maintenance Dredging Project (Maintenance, Florida…

03 Feb 2023

Wisconsin Awards $5.3 Million in Harbor Maintenance Grants

© Adrian Vargas / Adobe Stock

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, together with the state's Department of Transportation (WisDOT), announced grants totaling $5.3 million for seven harbor maintenance and improvement projects to promote waterborne freight and economic development.“From the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River, Wisconsin’s unique geography provides our state opportunities to grow our economy and help our businesses reach markets worldwide,” said Gov. Evers. “These grants will help maintain our harbors and ensure our ports are secure and reliable…

02 Nov 2022

US Mid-term Elections Bring Changes, Uncertainty in Congressional Maritime Leadership

© chris / Adobe Stock

Regardless of whether the Republicans seize or the Democrats maintain control of the House and Senate, there is a guarantee that changes in leadership will occur in some of the key Congressional leadership positions that will impact the maritime industry. Two of the most significant Congressional committees of jurisdiction are the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (House T&I) and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation (Senate Commerce). Both committees have jurisdiction over the U.S.

24 Aug 2022

Great Lakes Announces $107 Million in New Dredging Contracts

(File photo: Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation)

The United States' largest dredging contractor Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation on Wednesday announced the receipt of $107 million in new contract awards along the U.S. East Coast.The awarded dredging work includes: Norfolk Harbor Navigation Improvements Project (Capital, Virginia, $56.8 million), Charleston Lower Harbor Maintenance Dredging Project (Maintenance, South Carolina, $15.4 million), Tampa Harbor Maintenance Dredging 45-Foot Project (Maintenance, Florida, $13 million)…

17 Aug 2022

US Inland Waterway Infrastructure: Riding a Good News Wave

© Harold Stiver / Adobe Stock

The inland waterways have enjoyed several positive developments toward modernization of the system, particularly over the last two years.Annual appropriations that fund the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works mission have been steadily on the rise for the last nine fiscal years, specifically the Construction and Operations & Maintenance (O&M) accounts have been funded at historic levels. The passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) in 2021 provided a…

10 May 2022

Interview: Richard Balzano, Dredging Contractors of America

Richard Balzano (Photo: DCA)

Richard Balzano took over as CEO and executive director of the Dredging Contractors of America in December 2020. And while he says he’s “still fairly new to the [dredging] industry”, he certainly knows his way around the business, having held a number of prominent roles over the course of more than 30 years in the maritime and U.S government sectors. His resume is impressive. A combat veteran of both Iraq and Afghanistan, he retired from the U.S. Navy at the rank of Captain. He later served as the presidentially appointed Deputy Maritime Administrator for three years…

03 May 2022

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock's 1Q Profit, Revenue Rise

File Photo - Credit:Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation reported a first-quarter net income of 11.1 million in the first quarter of 2022 an increase compared to first-quarter 2021 income of $8.8 million.Revenue for the quarter was $194.3 million, an increase of $16.7 million from the first quarter of 2021. The higher revenue in the first quarter of 2022 was due to higher domestic capital and coastal protection revenue, offset partially by a decrease in revenue from maintenance dredging, rivers and lakes…

02 May 2022

USACE Buffalo Leasing Great Lakes Tug

The tugboat Don Raul, a 74-foot, 2,800 horsepower, twin-screw seagoing tug, built by Great Lakes Shipyard in 2008, at work on the water. (Photo: Great Lakes Towing)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Buffalo District awarded a $8.4 million contract to Cleveland-based Great Lakes Towing on April 20 for lease of the tugboat Don Raul to serve on the Great Lakes.The boat will primarily be used on Lake Erie between Buffalo, N.Y. and Toledo, Ohio, but may serve all the way to Massena, N.Y., towing the Buffalo District’s repair fleet. The fleet is one of three strategically located across the Great Lakes, providing a flexible, rapid response…

06 Apr 2022

Grays Harbor Maintenance Dredging Planned

(File photo: Michelle Helms / U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District said it plans to conduct Grays Harbor maintenance dredging in the Outer Harbor beginning April 12.The USACE hopper dredge Yaquina is expected to start dredging in the outer harbor of Grays Harbor around April 12 and will dredge approximately 17 days.Another USACE hopper dredge Essayons is expected to start dredging in the outer harbor April 21 and will dredge approximately 23 days. Dredging work will be performed continuously…

25 Aug 2021

Dredging Up Federal Funding for Inland Ports and Waterways

(Photo: Jared Eastman / U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

All signals from Washington, D.C., indicate that Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 could be a record-breaking year for inland port and waterway investment. The successful opening of the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund, a recording-breaking United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) budget request, positive improvements to the Port Infrastructure Development Program, and a possible bipartisan infrastructure deal, could result in billions of dollars in additional federal investment in inland ports and waterways.Opening the Harbor Maintenance Trust FundOn May 28…

20 Jul 2021

USACE Gets 'Strong Funding' for FY22 by House Committee

© efesenko/AdobeStock

Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) applauded approval by the House Appropriations Committee (by a vote of 33 to 24) of strong funding for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22). The Committee provided overall funding for the Corps’ Civil Works Mission for FY22 at $8.66 billion, an increase of $863 million above FY21’s appropriated level, and $1.9 billion above the President’s FY22 budget request.“WCI is pleased that the House Appropriations Committee has increased funding for the Corps of Engineers’ critical work…

10 May 2021

Dredging: Important Developments Will Impact Business

(Photo: Georgia Ports Authority)

For dredging company officials, the first quarter of 2021 was a pretty good start to a new year. In a tough business, challenges and pitfalls are always expected. But from a bigger picture perspective—markets, regulations and policies—company officials couldn’t be faulted if a bit of optimism infused their worldview.There are a number of reasons for this. Many are well known and don’t need to be detailed here. Just quickly, though, WRDA 2020 would be at the top of the list. WRDA…

06 May 2021

Impact of Dredging on Maritime Law

© Bill Chizek / Adobe Stock

In 1875, the General Moultrie was the first suction dredge built in the United States and was used in the Charleston River — until it sank within a year. During the same era, the city of Houston and other port towns formed companies like the Buffalo Bayou Ship Channel Company to build special-purpose vessels to clear and connect waterways for commercial vessel traffic. Toward the end of the 19th century, the cutter suction dredge made its appearance and effectively dug and maintained water channels.

12 Mar 2021

Maritime Groups Pleased with WRDA 2020

© Michael / Adobe Stock

It was an odd legislative journey, but ultimately one with a happy ending. That’s one way to sum up the rather tortuous process that led to the passage of the Water Resources Development Act of 2020 (WRDA). For the first time WRDA (usually reauthorized every two years) was not enacted as its own legislative bill. This time it was rolled into the massive government 2021 omnibus budget bill, the ‘‘Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021,’’ signed into law on December 27.Still, the WRDA text itself…

08 Mar 2021

Washington Watch: Winds of Change in DC

© DJ / Adobe Stock

For operators venturing into the offshore wind space, 2021 started off with a gust of changes and reports. From Jones Act clarifications and new enforcement authorities, to millions in port infrastructure funding, the new Congress and presidential administration will have plenty of tools available to shape the future of the industry’s development.NDAA brings Jones Act changesOne of the most persistent questions that has hung over the development of the U.S. offshore wind industry has been whether the Jones Act will apply during both the construction and operational phases.

26 Jan 2021

Op/ed: Investing in America’s Critical Maritime Infrastructure

© jccain / Adobe Stock

Congress recently made a major, if little noticed, new investment in American infrastructure. As part of the year-end budget deal, lawmakers released $10 billion that had been locked away in the Harbor Maintenance Tax Trust Fund to be used for its intended purpose: dredging U.S. harbors to keep our ports open and support U.S. economic and national security.Maritime infrastructure is an indispensable national asset, which is why the U.S. Department of Homeland Security recognizes the Maritime Transportation System (MTS) as one of the seven critical subsectors within the transportation system.

11 Jan 2021

Great Lakes Announces $60.9 Million in Dredging Contracts

(Photo: Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation)

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation on Monday announced the receipt of several major dredging awards in Georgia and Florida totaling $60.9 million which will be included in the year-end 2020 backlog number.The awarded work includes:North County Comprehensive Shore Protection Project (Coastal Protection, Florida, $21.2 million)U.S. Naval Station Mayport and Jacksonville Harbor Maintenance Dredging Project (Maintenance, Florida, $21.2 million)U.S. Naval Station Kings Bay Entrance Channel Maintenance Dredging Project (Maintenance…

18 Dec 2020

US Inland Waterways: Cheer the Year!

© Rick Lohre / Adobe Stock

As we head toward the end of a very chaotic and COVID-filled 2020 and try to reflect on the positives, the inland waterways had a pretty good year overall. Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI), whose members depend on a modern, efficient inland waterways system, offers this look back, with hopes ahead for the passage of a Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) 2020 with our construction cost-share adjustment priority in the lame duck session of Congress.A disappointing FY21 budget requestIn February…

14 Jul 2020

House Appropriations Committee Approves FY21 Funding for USACE

(Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

The House Appropriations Committee on Monday approved FY21 funding for Energy and Water Development (E&WD) that funds the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers by a party line vote of 30 to 21.Overall proposed funding for the Corps is $7.63 billion, a decrease of $21 million below FY20’s record-setting appropriated level, but $1.7 billion above the President’s FY21 budget request.The House bill also provides for seven new study starts and seven new construction projects to be selected by the Administration…

13 Jul 2020

Sickles Named Interim Head of Dredging Contractors of America

Mark D. Sickles

Former Dredging Contractors of America (DCA) executive director and Weeks Marine’s corporate and government relations director Mark D. Sickles will serve as Interim CEO and executive director as the organization searches for new staff leadership to succeed outgoing DCA head William P. Doyle, who has been appointed to lead the Maryland Port Administration, and Executive Director of the Port of Baltimore.Sickles was unanimously approved by the DCA board of directors and general membership during its annual meeting on July 9.

07 Jul 2020

Great Lakes Wins Dredging Contracts Worth More than $50 Mln

(Image: Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation)

The United States' largest dredging services provider Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation on Monday reported the receipt of several dredging awards totaling $51.1 million.The awarded work includes:CPRA Cameron Meadows Marsh Creation Project (Coastal Protection, Louisiana, $28.6 million)Oak Island Beach Project (Coastal Protection, North Carolina, $15.4 million)New York and New Jersey Harbor, Port Jersey Channel Maintenance Dredging Federal Navigation Project (Maintenance, New Jersey…

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