Weeks Marine cutterhead dredge Captain Frank started digging up service job on September 11.
The UNITED STATE Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) formally began the historical growing of the Mississippi River Ship Channel to 50 feet on September 11, as Weeks Marine’s cutterhead dredge Captain Frank began digging up 5 miles over the Head of Passes.
The general job will certainly give a draft of 50-feet from the Port of Baton Rouge to the Gulf of Mexico– over 256 miles of theMississippi River In enhancement, the product dug up from the very first 30 miles of the job near the mouth of the Mississippi River will certainly bring back an approximated 1,462 acres of vital marsh environment.
Phase 1 of the job will certainly give a 50-foot network from the Gulf of Mexico via Southwest Pass to Belmont Crossing and also open roughly 175 miles of the ship network to the much deeper draft. Phase 1 incorporates the whole territory of the Port of New Orleans,St Bernard Port, Harbor and also Terminal District, the Plaquemines Port, Harbor and also Terminal District and also most of the Port of South Louisiana.
The USACE granted the very first agreement for the Ship Channel growing to Weeks Marine on September 3, 2020, and also the Captain Frank began the historical growing. The USACE granted the 2nd cutterhead dredge agreement to Manson Construction on September 8. Manson’s cutterhead, the Robert M. White, is anticipated to start growing in late September.
Three digs up– 2 cutterheads and also one receptacle dredge– will certainly be made use of to strengthen the network in the very first stage of the job.
“This project represents an incredible partnership between the federal government, Congress, industry, and the State of Louisiana,” statedCol Stephen Murphy, Commander of the USACENew Orleans District “By deepening the Mississippi River Ship Channel even by just 5 feet (to 50 feet) the national economy will see benefits to the tune of approximately $127 million annually. With a benefit-to-cost ratio of 7.2-to-1, the project will pay for itself in two years. This is a really great deal for Louisiana and America.”
“The Big River Coalition revitalized efforts to deepen the Mississippi River Ship Channel to 50 Feet in August 2012,” stated Sean Duffy, Executive Director of the union. “The project will promote the economic advantages of waterborne commerce to shippers by extending the draw area for shipping down this economic superhighway. The deepened channel will offer increased cost savings to shippers and help the U.S. compete in world markets, enhance the system’s water carrying capacity and increase the flood protection of businesses, farms and homes. A deeper channel will create thousands of jobs and restore 1,500 acres of wetlands in the environmentally sensitive birds’ foot delta.”
“Our members are excited about the start of the 50-foot deepening, as it will help our port partners become more competitive on a national and international basis as well as contribute to coastal restoration though beneficial use of dredged material,” stated Captain Michael Miller, head of state of the Associated Branch Pilots (Bar Pilots) and also Chairman of the Big River Coalition.
“The kickoff of this historic project is exciting for the entire maritime community,” stated Brandy Christian, head of state and also Chief Executive Officer of the Port ofNew Orleans “It is the culmination of decades of hard work by all stakeholders involved from the Big River Coalition to Congress and the critical support of the state and the U.S. Army Corps. The deepening project will harness the economic power of the river and the most competitive global gateway in the Gulf of Mexico.”
“The deepening of the Mississippi River Ship Channel to 50 feet is a momentous water infrastructure project that will promote increased trade throughout the nation’s interior, noted the Executive Director of the Port of Plaquemines, Sandy Sanders. “The Plaquemines Port Harbor and Terminal District along with our partners from Plaquemines Parish to the state of Illinois are thrilled to see the deepening project commence.”
“Our nation’s inland waterway system—including the Mississippi River Ship Channel—provides an efficient connection between farmers in the Midwest and customers around the world,” commented the Executive Director of the Soy Transportation Coalition, Mike Steenhoek, a long time companion of the union. “As a result, any effort to improve the channel must not only be regarded as a Louisiana priority, but also a priority for the Midwestern states that feed into it.”
