Water Infrastructure News

The United States’ vast network of navigable inland rivers is vital to the nation’s economy, serving as an aquatic superhighway for the efficient shipment of critical commodities like agricultural goods, energy products, building materials and industrial chemicals to destinations within the U.S. and to deepwater ports for export. The Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI), which advocates for a modern, efficient and well-maintained inland waterways, often describes the network as “the…

Theodore, Ala. aluminum boatbuilder Silver Ships recently delivered an Explorer 40 workboat to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Pittsburgh District for use on the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers.The second of three Explorer 40 series workboats ordered by USACE Pittsburgh District, the 40-foot workboat will support the Corps’ mission of improving navigable waterways and water infrastructure.The custom-built 40-foot vessel is powered by Twin 350HP Suzuki outboard motors that give the vessel enhanced maneuvering capabilities for working in tight spaces.

Marine transportation and construction services company Curtin Maritime announced John Huit has joined the company as vice president of dredging, responsible for leading the company’s dredging operations, managing the fleet of dredging vessels.Huit brings over 25 years of experience in the maritime construction industry to Curtin Maritime, having spent the last eight years as a senior project manager at Great Lakes Dock & Dredge after holding several management roles with Parsons Water & Infrastructure, Weeks Marine, and Durocher Dock & Dredge.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District New Lock at the Soo Project in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan is reauthorized in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) 2022 on Dec 23, 2022. The project reauthorization amount is $3.219 billion.An authorization sets how much money agencies and programs can receive, and how they should spend the money. This authorization makes it possible for the project to maintain efficient funding eligibility. Due to recent cost increases, the project cost was estimated to exceed the previously authorized spending limit.“With continued funding…

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Detroit District said it anticipates Phase 3 construction will start this summer following a $1.068 billion contract for the New Lock at the Soo Phase 3 awarded July 1, 2022.This contract allows the contractor Kokosing Alberici Traylor, LLC (KAT), a joint venture headquartered in Westerville, Ohio to begin constructing the largest phase, the new lock chamber and rehabilitation of the downstream approach walls. With continued funding, the remaining work, valued at $803.95 million may be awarded over the next three years.

New legislation introduced in Congress aims to create a federal entity dedicated exclusively to advancing solutions to the challenges faced by the eight states of Great Lakes region.Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin together, contain a large core of the United States’ commercial and defense industrial base, as well as the largest freshwater system anywhere on Earth, but lawmakers say the Great Lakes region lacks the support present in other regions where the federal government has an array of commissions…

After years of much talk but little action, major infrastructure funding from Congress now looks like it might actually happen. This in turn has prompted a restoration of the availability of earmarks, which had been, until about a decade ago, part and parcel of the congressional funding process. Within our nation’s inland waterways industry, hopes have been high that the rejuvenation of our country’s transportation infrastructure will include our inland waterborne commerce, and that…

Ports are economic engines for the regions they serve, and the impact from business activities at the Port of New York/New Jersey runs as big as the area it serves: 46 million consumers in a four-hour radius. The port is an economic giant in and of itself, providing for nearly a half a million jobs, a cumulative $35 billion in personal income and a cumulative $98 billion in business income. Sam Ruda, Director, Port NY/NJ, discusses a record 2019, continued investment in infrastructure…

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) officially kicked off the project to deepen of the Mississippi River Ship Channel to 50 feet Friday, as Weeks Marine’s cutterhead dredge Captain Frank started dredging 5 miles above the Head of Passes.The USACE awarded this first contract for the Ship Channel deepening to Weeks Marine on September 3, 2020, and the Captain Frank started the deepening Friday. The USACE awarded the second cutterhead dredge contract to Manson Construction on September 8, 2020. Manson’s cutterhead, the Robert M. White, is expected to begin deepening in late September.

We recently checked in with Tracy Zea, Waterways Council Inc.’s new President & CEO, on what’s in store for the U.S. inland waterways for the remainder of 2020.To start, give us some insight on your background and how you came to lead WCI.I was born and raised in Chandler, Ariz., and attended South Dakota State University, receiving a degree in Political Science. After college, I found my way to Washington, D.C. via an internship with Senator Thune (R-S.D.). After the internship, I was hired by the House of Representatives, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) is the national public policy organization that advocates for a modern, efficient inland waterways system. Abiding by our mission has meant success over our 17-year history. In 2020, WCI’s top priority is to conform the cost-share for Inland Waterways Trust Fund (IWTF)-financed construction projects to require 25% of the project cost be derived from the IWTF and the remaining 75% from General Revenues. The policy vehicle for this adjustment is the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA)…

The end of the 2019 saw some unprecedented funding measure pass through Congress and signed into law by President Trump. The Gulf and East Coast have continued to receive significant funding to help deepen and widen navigational channels and gateways. One of the projects passed into law included the Gulf Coast Regional Demonstration Project. Some of the ports receiving funding and underway include Mobile, Baltimore, Houston, Port Everglades and Norfolk. All these projects funded by Congress draw a direct correlation to the expanded Panama Canal.

CEDA and IADC has launched a new course for professionals involved in dredging-related activities for water infrastructure development. The Dredging for Sustainable Infrastructure Course will be held on June 23-24, 2020 in Hotel Van der Valk Den Haag in Nootdorp, The Netherlands. The course is based on the association’s flagship guidebook with the same title.At this 2-day course, participants will learn how to achieve dredging projects that fulfil primary functional requirements…

The beneficial use of dredge material sets a record in FY 2019. And, we’re just getting started. Funding will be the key.In mid-November 2018, concerns began to rise about an unseasonably high river stages on the Upper Mississippi River Basin generated by significant precipitation events. As a navigation representative on the Lower Mississippi River, I have unfortunately learned that the river system is changing and that precipitation around the world has been increasing for decades.

Luxembourg-headquartered dredging and construction engineering company Jan De Nul Group completed the capital dredging works for the improvement of Liepaja Port in Latvia ahead of schedule.In order to allow larger vessels to enter and leave the port of Liepaja fully loaded, the access channel to the port needed to be adapted. As part of the Liepaja Port Water Infrastructure Works, Jan De Nul Group was awarded the dredging works.The scope for Jan De Nul Group entailed the removal of 2.7 million m³ of sediments to deepen the port access channel from 12.5 m to 14.5 m, and to create a new navigation channel of -14 m towards one of the main bulk terminals within the port area.Jan De Nul Group faced challenging weather and soil conditions during the execution of the project.

The second phase in a major upgrade of Scrabster Harbor in Caithness, the North of Scotland, has secured up to GBP3 million investment from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).The funding will enable the redevelopment of the existing St. Ola pier to create further deep-water infrastructure and meet anticipated demand from cruise ships and offshore energy supply vessels. It will place the port in an ideal position to service activity in the West of Shetland basin.A new piled quay wall and pier deck will be installed to expand the existing pier. Both the inner and outer side of the pier will be dredged to create water depth of no less than 9m.

Bill now heads to White House for President Trump’s signature.Today, the Senate voted 99-1 in favor of America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018/Water Resources Development Act, otherwise known as WRDA 2018. The Bill passed in the U.S. House by unanimous voice vote (435-0) in August.“The passage of WRDA 2018 is a win for the Nation’s towboat operators, freight shippers, ports and labor and conservation groups that rely on an efficient inland waterways system,” said Mike Toohey, President and CEO of the Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI).

In an address to Western Dredging Association (WEDA) stakeholders, William P. Doyle, CEO & Executive Director Dredging Contractors of America told his audience: It all starts with dredging. Good Morning, and thank you for inviting me here today to open-up the conference. This is my first time addressing the Western Dredging Association (WEDA), and I am honored to be here. It all starts with dredging, and President Donald J. Trump is backing it up with critical legislative measures. As I will address later in my remarks– the U.S. dredging companies are truly American companies, spending billions of dollars building all of our ships in American shipyards and staffing our ships with American officers a crew.

On February 12, President Trump released his highly anticipated infrastructure proposal, a “Legislative Outline for Rebuilding Infrastructure in America.” Unlike prior federal infrastructure development strategies, which rarely discussed the need for maritime infrastructure investment, the proposal places maritime infrastructure on equal footing with other surface transportation modes in terms of potential funding opportunities. The outline contains proposals that would create three new major programs…

What does the future hold for infrastructure investment on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway in 2018? The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association (AIWA) is a nonprofit, membership organization for one of the nation’s longest water infrastructure projects stretching over 1,100 miles: the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AIWW). We are grateful to serve as the one unified Voice of the Waterway and below is our outlook for 2018. In the President’s Budget for 2017, the AIWW began the appropriations process with only $6.911 million for the entire waterway.

The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) has identified $66 billion in potential federal waterside and landside investments over the next decade that will help assure the benefits from an anticipated $155 billion in port-related capital infrastructure investments. AAPA Chairman-Elect William Friedman provided examples of waterside infrastructure needs, and offered recommendations for water resources legislation to enhance the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers navigation program during a senate committee. Friedman presented his case before the US Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) in a hearing titled ‘America’s Water Infrastructure Needs and Challenges’.

A plan unfolds and support grows for a 50-foot Ship Channel to support economical and efficient grain exports. The Big River Coalition remains at the heart of that collaborative effort to make the Mississippi River Mightier. In 2012, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) Institute of Water Resources (IWR) released a report under the direction of Congress to document the status of U.S. Ports to accept post-panamax vessels. The report, entitled, “U.S. Port and Inland Waterways Modernization: Preparing for Post-Panamax Vessels” was officially released on June 20, 2012.

Within the U.S. inland waterways industry, any mention of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) will almost certainly be in reference to the “Infrastructure Report Card” that ASCE prepares and issues every four years, describing the condition and performance of America’s infrastructure in 16 categories: aviation, bridges, dams, drinking water, energy, hazardous waste, inland waterways, levees, ports, public parks, rail, roads, schools, solid waste, transit and waste water.