Army Corps News

As the national public policy organization that advocates for a modern, reliable, efficient inland waterways and ports system, Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) continually seeks ways to improve the delivery of inland waterways navigation projects managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. And while more than $6 billion has been delivered over the past decade for construction and major rehabilitation for the inland waterways, with WCI securing $2.5 billion above the budget requests and $3 billion in supplemental funding since 2016, project delivery remains bottlenecked, delayed, and inefficient.

Today’s headlines bring constant news of international shipping hubs across the global supply chain experiencing major volatility and disruption – from Iran sending shockwaves through global energy markets by forcefully obstructing vessel traffic in the Strait of Hormuz; to the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen signaling intent to restart attacks on shipping  in the Red Sea; to China detaining Panama-flagged vessels in an escalation of ongoing disputes over the Panama Canal; and beyond.By contrast, the American tugboat, towboat and barge industry continues to move our nation’s cargo on U.S.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has launched a new module on its Regulatory Request System (RRS) that will allow users to self-verify that a pre-construction notification is not required for a proposed activity covered under a nationwide permit.Certain activities are authorized by nationwide permits if the project proponent’s proposed activities comply with all the terms and conditions of those nationwide permits and the activity can commence without notification to USACE district offices.

The Seamen’s Church Institute’s Center for Maritime Education (CME) has established a new partnership with the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) in Vicksburg, MS, with the goal of improving maritime training, advancing ship simulation technology, and enhancing safety across the nation’s waterways. The collaboration, formalized through a recent Memorandum of Agreement by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is the result of ongoing conversations with mariners…

In early April, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) released its navigation work plan for FY2026. The overall plan outlines resources that will be used for dredging, structure maintenance, and other priorities at every port in the United States.The USACE Detroit District staff have since compiled a summary/funding analysis of Great Lakes provisions indicating that the Great Lakes region will receive $516.47 million in navigation maintenance funding in FY2026 — an increase…

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor joined Port Tampa Bay leadership to announce $10 million in federal funding to support the Tampa Harbor Navigation Improvement Project, an investment that will enhance navigation safety, expand cargo capacity and strengthen supply chains across Florida.The funding included $3 million secured by Rep. Castor through Fiscal Year 2026 community project funding requests to advance Phase 1 planning, engineering and design. In addition, Rep. Castor led the Florida Congressional Delegation in securing $7 million in general-use funding through the U.S.

The Port of Los Angeles said it has secured about $70 million in federal funding for harbor maintenance and infrastructure upgrades, marking its largest allocation to date.The funding, provided by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund, will support projects including dredging, seismic upgrades and navigational safety improvements.The San Pedro Bay port complex, which includes Los Angeles and Long Beach, received a combined $131.8 million allocation.The trust fund is financed through a cargo tax paid by U.S.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) announced on March 16 that it is seeking input from all interested parties on ways to increase the efficiency of the nationwide permit program.Nationwide permits authorize activities that are similar in nature and cause no more than minimal adverse environmental impacts to jurisdictional aquatic resources separately or on a cumulative basis. Activities range from work associated with aids to navigation and utility lines to residential developments…

For Capt. Paul C. LaMarre III, the maritime industry isn’t a career choice as much as it is a family inheritance — and, in his words, “all I’ve known my entire life.” In a recent interview with Maritime Reporter TV, Captain LaMarre gives unique insights on the operating efficiently, effectively and safely on the Great Lakes system – the United States’ ‘Fourth Sea’ – and with passion, intellect and purpose advocates for a strong U.S. maritime industry.A third-generation Great Lakes mariner…

America’s maritime infrastructure is measured in draft depth, vessel clearance, sediment management, and days available to dredge. If the United States is serious about competing in a century defined by supply chains, energy exports, and sealift readiness, then ports, harbors, and waterways must move from being in the background to becoming part of the national strategy.The Dredging industry and it importance to the U.S. Port infrastructure will be discussed in depth at the Port of the Future Conference and Exhibition, scheduled for March 23-25 in Houston.

For Aimee Andres, the nation’s inland rivers are not an abstract transportation network or a policy talking point. They are personal. Growing up, she spent her formative years around ports, terminals and railroads, watching firsthand how freight moved and how quietly essential inland infrastructure is to the country’s economic engine. That upbringing ultimately led her to a role she has now held for more than a decade: Executive Director of Inland Rivers, Ports & Terminals (IRPT).

The McMurdo Docking Pier, constructed by Gunderson Marine & Iron (GM&I) and designed by Glosten for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, hassuccessfully arrived at McMurdo Station, Antarctica following a 9,159 nautical mile voyage across the Pacific Ocean and Southern Ocean.The pier, towed from the Pacific Northwest by TradeWinds Towing, was underway for 69 days, averaging 5.5 knots over the course of its journey. This total includes four days of route adjustments to avoid severe Southern Ocean weather systems.

The barge Defiant was refloated from the Castillo San Felipe del Morro shoreline in San Juan Harbor, Wednesday at approximately 2:22 a.m., just before high tide.Salvage crews and tugboat operators prepositioned three tugboats and completed all the preparations, including the pressurization of all cargo tanks, voids and compartments in the barge. The tugboat, Lobo Grande, successfully pulled the barge off the rocks with the assistance of the incoming tide.An earlier attempt on…

On January 22, 2026, Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG) and partners, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and Royal IHC, held a keel laying ceremony for the ongoing construction of the Dredge DONNELLY at Eastern’s Allanton Facility.The DONNELLY is a Medium Class Hopper Dredge that has been under construction since April 2025. The vessel will replace the Dredge McFARLAND and will play a critical role in enabling USACE to continue to deliver its navigation mission.The keel laying…

Congressman Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN), Chairman of the House Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, was presented with Waterways Council, Inc.’s (WCI) 23rd Annual Leadership Service Award on February 4, for championing the Nation’s inland waterways and the Chickamauga Lock project. The award was presented at a Capitol Hill reception."Throughout his tenure in Congress, Congressman Fleischmann has supported the modernization of the Nation’s inland waterways and of Chickamauga Lock…

The newest addition to the Manson Construction Co. (Manson) fleet—the hopper dredge Frederick Paup—departed the Seatrium AmFELS shipyard in Brownsville, TX, on Tuesday afternoon, setting sail for Mobile, AL.Representing Manson’s single biggest investment since its founding in 1905, the Frederick Paup—designed in collaboration with Hockema Whalen Myers Associates, Inc. of Seattle, WA and built by Seatrium AmFELS in Brownsville, TX—is the largest self-propelled hopper dredge in the United States.The 15…

Pole Star Defense closed Q4 2025 with two federal wins: a $36 million, three-year renewal with the U.S. Coast Guard and a new five-year contract with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Together, the awards extend the company’s role as a provider of maritime domain awareness to U.S. government customers. The Coast Guard renewal builds on a partnership first established in 2020 with a $50 million award. Under the extended agreement, Pole Star Defense continues to deliver vessel tracking, system modernization, and cloud-based analytics that support Coast Guard operations nationwide.

Seatrium delivered FREDERICK PAUP to Manson Construction Co. Built at Seatrium’s Brownsville Texas yard, the Jones Act-compliant vessel is the largest self-propelled hopper dredger in US history.Key highlights:Largest in the U.S. – 420’ length x 81’ beam, with a 15,000+ cubic yard hopper capacityPowerful and Agile – Self-propelled with 25,000 horsepower, triple azimuthing stern drives, and twin bow thrustersSustainable – Tier 4 Wabtec Diesel-Electric Engines and an advanced hull…

Engineering and design company Stantec and AECOM has been selected by the U.S. Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) to lead multidiscipline architect-engineer and consulting services as part of a five-year, US$150 million single award contract.The Stantec-AECOM Joint Venture work will directly support the US Navy’s Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program (SIOP) focusing on the modernization of Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) in Kittery, Maine.SIOP is upgrading…

Waterways Council, Inc. released a study by HDR, Inc. (Recommendations for Improving the Delivery of Inland Waterway Capital Projects and accompanying infographic) that examines why costs for U.S. inland waterways capital projects (locks and dams) escalate, timelines for completion continue to slip, and economic benefits to the Nation from projects’ execution are consistently delayed. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works mission is responsible for constructing the Nation’s inland waterways infrastructure.

Last Chance: Early Bird Registration Ends January 15 for Port of the Future Conference 2026Secure your spot at Houston's premier maritime event before rates increaseHOUSTON, TX – The clock is ticking for port executives, maritime professionals, and industry leaders to secure early bird registration for the 2026 Port of the Future Conference. The discounted rate ends January 15, 2026, offering significant savings for what promises to be the maritime industry's most comprehensive gathering of the year.Taking place March 24-25…

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced today that it will reissue 56 existing nationwide permits and issue one new permit for work in wetlands and other waters that are regulated by Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and/or Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899.One existing permit will not be reissued.A pre-publication copy of the new final nationwide permit action is posted to the Office of the Federal Register website. The final action is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register in the coming days.

15,000 cu. yd. Hopper Dredge = “the Cookie Monster” of Beach ReplenishmentManson Construction Co.’s Frederick Paup is the largest Trailing Suction Hopper Dredge in the United States. Designed and built specifically to meet the needs of the U.S. dredging market, she boasts 25,000 HP and volumetric capacity of over 15,000 cubic yards. Utilizing her triple Z Drives and twin Bow Thrusters enables the Frederick Paup to maneuver and dredge within the tightest channels. This further…