Army Corps Awards Charleston Harbor $41.4 Million More for Deepening Project
The Army Corps of Engineers will grant $41.4 million to the Charleston Harbor Deepening Project in its 2019 work plan, helping to get the South Carolina port to 52 feet deep, the Corps of Engineers said in a Nov. 21 press release.
Construction to deepen the Charleston Harbor Entrance Channel began in February after the first two dredging contracts of about $300 million, according to the Corps of Engineers.
The federal department intends to get the port to 52 feet by 2021, making it the deepest harbor on the East Coast.
The deeper port will mean thousands more cargo ships using East Coast ports by 2019, the Corps of Engineers said. Large cargo ships require harbors of 50 feet or more in draft to remove navigation restrictions, the agency said. Upon completion of Charleston’s deepening, the Inner Harbor will offer 52 feet of depth with a 54-feet entrance channel.
