Progress made on Savannah extension

According to the revised schedule, dredging will begin in the harbour at the beginning of September – more than three months sooners than expected. This comes after the Corps of Engineers awarded the contract for the Dissolved Oxygen Injection System – a mitigation feature that involves injecting oxygen into the river to maintain necessary dissolved oxygen levels during hot, dry months – to CDM Constructors Inc for US$99.6m.

“Savannah’s harbour deepening plays a pivotal role in the economic future of our state and nation. Cost savings from better accommodating today’s larger, more efficient vessels will make American exports more competitive overseas,” said Georgia Governor, Nathan Deal. “I am proud that, working with the General Assembly, we have been able to provide $266 million to get this deepening under way.”

Another major milestone has also been reached with the beginning of the recovery of the ironclad gunboat, CSS Georgia Recovery. As well as this, advertisement of the Water Storage Impoundment is scheduled to occur later this week, when the Savannah district will start accepting bids to construct the mitigation feature designed to ensure the city’s water quality remains a the highest levels.

“With the dissolved oxygen contract awarded, Savannah’s freshwater impoundment site set to bid, major artefacts raised daily from the CSS Georgia, and dredging to start within a month, port customers can rest assured this project is making significant progress,” added Curtis Foltz, executive director, Georgia Ports Authority (GPA).

The deepening of the harbour will enable larger container ships to call on Savannah with greater ease, heavier cargoes and fewer tidal restraints than they currently experience. The Corps of Engineers partnered with the State of Georgia for the deepening, which is said to bring a net benefit of US$174m each year to US consumers in transportation cost savings and greater efficiencies.