Army Corps begins dredging of Cape Henry Channel to support Ports of Baltimore, Virginia

THE U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS, BALTIMORE DISTRICT
Published Dec. 20, 2021

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baltimore District, and San Rafael, California-based contractor, The Dutra Group, recently began work to dredge approximately 2.36 million cubic yards of material from the Cape Henry Federal Navigation Channel. The District awarded the $14.8 million contract on Sept. 24, 2021.

This work is part of the larger Baltimore Harbor and Channels Project, supporting the Ports of Baltimore and Virginia. Maintenance dredging of federal channels is necessary to ensure continued safe navigation for vessels and keep the ports open for business.

The Dutra Group's Stuyvesant hopper dredge, which is one of the largest hopper dredges in the U.S., will complete the dredging.

The dredge material in the Baltimore Harbor and Channels Project consists primarily of mud, silt, sand, and shell. The material is being placed nearby at the Dam Neck Ocean Placement Site, the same location as previous dredging cycles. In addition to the dredge, the equipment required for this work commonly consists of one or more 4,500 – 8,500 cubic yard hopper dredges – a drag barge, a crew vessel, and a survey vessel. The Stuyvesant has a 9,870 cubic-yard capacity.

This maintenance dredging contract for the Cape Henry Channel requires a depth of 51 feet plus one foot of allowable over depth.

The work is anticipated to finish in late spring 2022.

 

 


Contact
Greg Nash
443-240-2195
gregory.nash@usace.army.mil
or
Corporate Communications Office
410-962-2809
CENAB-CC@usace.army.mil

Release no. 21-052