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Harbor Deepening Project News

05 Dec 2022

Charleston has Deepest Harbor on US East Coast

(Image: SC Ports)

Charleston Harbor is now the deepest harbor on the East Coast at 52 feet.At 52 feet, the biggest ships calling the East Coast can access South Carolina Ports’ terminals any time, any tide. Ships filled with record imports and heavy exports can seamlessly sail through Charleston Harbor to SC Ports’ terminals.This depth makes SC Ports more competitive, helping to attract new ship services, first-in-calls and more cargo to South Carolina.Governor Henry McMaster and other state elected leaders…

15 Aug 2022

JAXPORT Promotes Infrastructure Development Leader Bennett to COO

James Bennett (Photo: JAXPORT)

JAXPORT has promoted infrastructure development leader James Bennett, P.E., to the role of chief operating officer (COO). Bennett is a licensed professional engineer with more than three decades of transportation industry experience.Bennett joined JAXPORT in 2017 as senior director of engineering and construction, responsible for the port’s marine and landside infrastructure development and engineering and construction operations. In this role, he managed the completion of JAXPORT’s major growth projects…

26 May 2022

Dredging at JAXPORT’s Blount Island Marine Terminal Complete

Front row from left: Congresswoman Kat Cammack, Congressman John Rutherford, JAXPORT CEO Eric Green, FDOT Secretary Jared W. Perdue, JAXPORT Chair Wendy Hamilton, JAXPORT’s City Council Liaison Ron Salem, and Jacksonville City Council President Sam Newby cut a ribbon following the last scoop of the Jacksonville Harbor Deepening Project through Blount Island. (Photo: JAXPORT)

The project to deepen 11 miles of the federal shipping channel from the sea buoy to JAXPORT’s Blount Island Marine Terminal to a depth of 47 feet from its previous depth of 40 feet has been completed. Federal, state, and local leaders joined JAXPORT and the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Jacksonville District to celebrate the project's completion.The 47-foot harbor provides the channel depth needed for larger ships to call Blount Island to and from destinations worldwide and allows existing ships calling Jacksonville to carry more cargo on board.

25 Sep 2020

Charleston Will be the Deepest Harbor on the US East Coast

The CMA CGM Brazil, a 15,000 TEU container vessel spanning 1,200 feet in length, sailed into Charleston's harbor Sept. 20. The ship - the largest to ever visit the East Coast, and Charleston harbor - was able to enter Charleston's harbor due to its maintained and deepened channels. (Photo: Dennis Franklin)

This September, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston District awarded the final two dredging contracts on its harbor deepening project, which will make Charleston’s harbor the deepest on the East Coast.The contract awards also coincided with the arrival September 20 of the CMA CGM Brazil, a 15,072-TEU containership stretching 1,200 feet long, and the largest containership to ever call on the East Coast and Charleston harbor.Charleston was the last stop on its East Coast itinerary…

22 Dec 2019

$138M Ok'd for Charleston Harbor Project

US President Donald Trump approved $138 million for the Charleston Harbor Deepening Project as part of the Energy and Water Appropriations Bill in the 2020 Budget.According to a statement from South Carolina Ports Authority, both the Senate and the House voted to approve the appropriations bill this week as part of the fiscal year 2020 funding package, and Trump signed it into law Friday."This enormous step forward means the project is fully funded to completion and on track to achieve a 52-foot depth in 2021," it said.S.C. Ports Authority Board Chairman Bill Stern said: “This huge infusion of federal funding reflects the importance of ensuring South Carolina has a deep harbor capable of handling mega container ships."S.C.

24 Nov 2019

JaxPort Break Ground on Container Terminal

U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administrator Rear Adm. Mark Buzby joined elected officials and leadership from Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT) and SSA Marine on Nov. 22 to break ground on a new state-of-the-art international container terminal at JAXPORT’s Blount Island Marine Terminal.The SSA Jacksonville Container Terminal is an expansion of SSA’s current leasehold at Blount Island and includes $238.7 million in infrastructure and equipment upgrades. Operations will continue throughout the redevelopment, which is expected to be complete in 2023—coinciding with the completion of the federal project to deepen the Jacksonville shipping channel to 47 feet.

25 Oct 2019

JAXPORT Sets Cargo Records

Photo: JAXPORT

Florida’s largest container port achieved record volumes in containers, vehicles and overall tonnage during the fiscal year ending September 30, 2019.The Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT) moved more than 1.338 million twenty-foot equivalent units (or TEUs, the industry standard for measuring containers), a 5 percent increase over 2018, which was also a record year in container volumes for the port. JAXPORT has set container volume records for four consecutive years.The port also moved the most vehicles in its history…

28 Aug 2019

Dutra Launches Hydraulic Dump Scow

Photo courtesy of DCA

On August 20, 2019, Dutra’s new Jones Act built Hydraulic Dump Scow ES15 was successfully launched, christened, commissioned and will finish sea trials and additional testing this week. Next week the ES15 will head to Massachusetts to to work on the Boston Harbor Deepening Project.ES15 is a 6,000cy Hydraulic Dump Scow built in Corn Island Shipyard in Grandview, Indiana, located at 734 Mile Marker on the Ohio River. Departing from Corn Island, IN  on August 27, 2019, the vessel will head south on the Ohio River…

09 Aug 2019

JAXPORT Welcomes FDOT Secretary

The Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT), Florida,  said that its Chief Executive Officer Eric Green and other port executives welcomed Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Kevin Thibault for an update on port growth and a waterside tour of ongoing port projects.JAXPORT said that the visit included a look at how the projects—from berth enhancements to Mile Point and harbor deepening—work together to make Jacksonville’s seaport more competitive, bringing jobs and revenue to Northeast Florida.The tour began with a stop at Berths 33 and 34, currently under construction at the SSA Jacksonville Container Terminal at Blount Island.

29 Apr 2019

Record-Breaking Cargo Ship Visits JAXPORT

The Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT), an international trade seaport on the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida, set a new port record today with the arrival of the ZIM vessel Kota Pekarang, the largest container ship to ever call Jacksonville.The 11,923-TEU (container) vessel is operated by ZIM on a service offered by the 2M Alliance, comprised of Maersk, MSC, Hamburg Süd and strategic partners HMM and ZIM.The Kota Pekarang, which transited the Panama Canal from Northeast Asia before reaching the U.S. East Coast, discharged and loaded cargo at JAXPORT’s Blount Island Marine Terminal.This port call comes a little more than one month after the previous largest ship to ever call JAXPORT – the 11,000 TEU ZIM vessel Cape Sounio – docked at Blount Island on March 18.

20 Mar 2019

JAXPORT Receives Largest Ever Box Ship

The Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT) and terminal operator SSA Atlantic on Monday afternoon welcomed the largest container ship to ever visit Jacksonville.JAXPORT set a new port record today with the arrival of the ZIM vessel Cape Sounio, the largest container ship to ever call Jacksonville, claimed a press release.The 11,000-TEU (container) vessel is operated by ZIM on a service offered by the 2M alliance. The 2M alliance is comprised of Maersk, MSC, Hamburg Süd and strategic partners HMM and ZIM.The vessel, which transited the Panama Canal from Asia before reaching the U.S. East Coast, loaded and offloaded cargo at JAXPORT’s Blount…

15 Mar 2019

$138M Allocated for Charleston Harbor

President Donald Trump included $138 million in his budget for the coming year to help deepen Charleston Harbor to 52 feet so it can handle larger container ships, said Charleston District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.The project, in the works since 2011, had never been included in a president’s budget until now. The U.S. Army Corps last year revised a formula that measures the project’s economic benefit, putting it above the threshold needed for consideration.The Charleston Harbor Post 45 Deepening Project will make transportation more efficient within the harbor by allowing neo-Panamax ships to come into the port without restrictions.Inclusion…

22 Feb 2019

Jaxport Hits Record Container Volumes in January

Jaxport, the port of Jacksonville, Florida, had its best ever January container volumes, with total container movements increasing 16 percent over the same period last year.Nearly 121,400 twenty-foot equivalent units (or TEUs, the industry standard for measuring containers) moved through JAXPORT in January 2019.The port’s Asian container volumes continue to show significant growth, up 17 percent year–to–date with nearly 164,000 TEUs moved so far in Fiscal Year 2019. JAXPORT’s fiscal year runs Oct. 1- Sept. 30. JAXPORT’s Asian trade has grown an average of 14 percent annually over the past five years.January was also a record month for the port’s auto business. Nearly 61,500 autos moved through JAXPORT in January 2019, a double-digit increase over the previous January.

07 Jan 2019

South Carolina Ports Authority Marks 6.4% Container Volume Growth

The South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA), which operates the Port of Charleston and other facilities, today reported 6.4 percent year-over-year container volume growth, with a record 2.3 million twenty-foot equivalent container units (TEUs) handled in 2018.Last year marked the third consecutive calendar year of record TEU volume for SCPA. The Port moved 199,701 TEUs in December alone, a 9.2 percent increase over December 2017 and the strongest December in SCPA history.As measured by the total number of boxes handled, SCPA moved 114,018 pier containers in December and a record 1.3 million pier containers in 2018.“We are pleased to report our strongest December in history and record-breaking growth of our container business in calendar year 2018,” said SCPA president and CEO Jim Newsome.

29 Oct 2018

SC Ports State of the Port Emphasizes Infrastructure to Support Growth

Jim Newsome, president and CEO, highlights cooperation and collaboration.South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA) president and CEO, Jim Newsome, presented the annual State of the Port to an audience of approximately 600 customers, elected officials and shipping industry representatives at the Charleston Area Convention Center. Jim’s presentation focused on the Port’s successes, strategic infrastructure investments to support continued container volume growth, new initiatives to increase Port productivity and overall industry trends that will impact the Port in the future. The Propeller Club of Charleston hosted the event which marked Newsome’s tenth address since joining SCPA in 2009.SC Ports volumes for the 2018 fiscal year, which ran July 2017 through June 2018, were record-breaking.

22 Sep 2018

Georgia Ports Plan 8 Million TEU Capacity by 2028

The Georgia Port Authority (GPA) has unveiled a $2.5 billion plan to expand the capacity at the Port of Savannah to 8 million TEUs by 2028.GPA Executive Director Griff Lynch at the Savannah State of the Port detailed GPA’s 10-year,  $2.5 billion plan to expand the capacity of the nation’s fastest growing and single largest container terminal from 5.5 million twenty-foot equivalent unit containers (TEUs) to 8 million, said a press release.“We’re preparing to redefine the Port of Savannah as not simply the load center for the Southeastern U.S., but as the port of choice for major inland markets east of the Mississippi River,” Lynch said.During his presentation to nearly 1,400 people, including Gov.

21 Mar 2018

Charleston Harbor Deepening Construction Begins

© Jake Nyden / Adobe Stock

At a ceremony held earlier in March, officials celebrated the beginning of construction on the Charleston Harbor Deepening Project to 52 feet. "It is a monumental accomplishment to begin construction on the Charleston Deepening Project, which make Charleston the deepest port on the East Coast at a time when deep and wide shipping channels are necessary," said Jim Newsome, South Carolina Ports Authority president and CEO. "The container shipping industry today is dominated by big ships, and ports must adapt to handle them in order to remain competitive.

09 Dec 2016

U.S.House Passes New Water-Resources Measure

Today's passage of S.612, the Water Infrastructure Improvement for the Nation Act (WIIN), formerly known as Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), by the U.S. House of Representatives, moves the Charleston Harbor Deepening Project closer to securing the authorization necessary to begin construction. "We applaud the House for passing this legislation before the end of the year, which is critical to modernizing ports and port-related infrastructure across the country," said Jim Newsome, SCPA President and CEO. "The South Carolina Delegation worked extremely hard to move this bill forward. Thanks to their support, we are well-positioned to be the deepest harbor on the East Coast by the end of the decade. We remain hopeful that the U.S.

08 Dec 2016

U.S. House Passes Compromise WIN Act

Bill includes construction authorization for Charleston Harbor Deepening Project. Today's passage of S.612, the Water Infrastructure Improvement for the Nation Act (WIIN), formerly known as Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), by the U.S. House of Representatives, moves the Charleston Harbor Deepening Project closer to securing the authorization necessary to begin construction. "We applaud the House for passing this legislation before the end of the year, which is critical to modernizing ports and port-related infrastructure across the country," said Jim Newsome, SCPA President and CEO. "The South Carolina Delegation worked extremely hard to move this bill forward. Thanks to their support, we are well-positioned to be the deepest harbor on the East Coast by the end of the decade.

11 Apr 2017

Biggest Ship to Ever Visit US East Coast

Wide, deep channels and big-ship infrastructure will earn South Carolina Ports Authority the desired position as last port of call when the biggest ship ever to call the US East Coast, the COSCO Development, arrives in May. "SCPA has worked aggressively for years to ensure we can efficiently work 13,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) vessels and be the last Southeast port of call with no navigational issues," said Jim Newsome, SCPA president and CEO. "Our naturally wide and deepwater harbor, soon to be the deepest on the entire East Coast at 52 feet, can handle vessels the COSCO Development's size loaded heavy with cargo. Coupled with our landside capacity and infrastructure…

29 May 2017

Federal Dollars for Charleston Harbor Deepening

The Charleston Harbor Deepening Project was named one of six “new starts” and received $17.5 million in construction funding in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Fiscal Year 17 Work Plan released today, allowing construction on the project to begin this fall as scheduled. Charleston also received $16.1 million in operations and maintenance dollars, which provide for the routine maintenance dredging of the harbor necessary for construction begin. Collectively the funds allocated in the Work Plan allow Charleston to continue moving forward and preparing for construction. “This is monumental news for the Charleston Harbor Deepening Project…

17 Dec 2017

SC Ports Handles Container Volume Growth

South Carolina Ports Authority’s 2018 fiscal year container volume through November grew 2.5 percent compared to last year, with 886,414 twenty-foot equivalent container units (TEUs) handled by the Port of Charleston since July. The Port moved 163,592 TEUs during the month of November, with a balanced mix of import and export cargo. As measured in pier container volume, or the total number of boxes handled, the Port moved 92,329 containers in November. Fiscal year to date, SCPA has handled 502,063 pier containers, an increase of 2.9 percent over the same period last year. Inland Port Greer handled 7,308 rail moves in November. With 49,482 rail moves handled to date in FY18, the facility’s growing volumes are 10.2 percent higher than last year.

21 Mar 2018

American Pride: Working Hard in the US Dredging Industry

World Marine of Alabama (WMA) completed work on a contract valued at over $14 million to drydock and repair the Dredge Wheeler, a hopper dredge owned and operated by the USACE. (Photo: WMA)

We have had a great first couple of months at the Dredging Contractors of America. As the new CEO and Executive Director, I have begun to visit the companies, their facilities and associated dredging projects. So far, I have surveyed the beach re-nourishment project in Ocean City, Md. undertaken by Great Lakes Dredge and Dock. I’ve canvassed Weeks Marine’s repair and yard facility in Jersey City, N.J. In the last week of February, I visited Mike Hooks Inc.’s corporate headquarters and boatbuilding and repair yard in West Lake, La.