The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has awarded final contract for Delaware River deepening project – Upper Reach B – to Norfolk Dredging Company in the amount of $50.2 million.
This represents the 10th and final dredging contract for the Delaware River Main Channel Deepening Project, deepening the Delaware River federal navigation channel from 40 to 45 feet between Philadelphia and the sea.
The project is a joint effort of the Army Corps’ Philadelphia District and PhilaPort.
Work will involve dredging approximately 4 million cubic yards of material from portions of the Tinicum, Eddystone, Chester, Marcus Hook, and Bellevue Ranges of the Delaware River main channel. Work is expected to begin in August of 2017 and be completed in 2018, said USACE.
The Delaware River Main Channel Deepening project began in March of 2010. The deeper channel will provide for more efficient transportation of containerized, dry bulk (steel and slag) and liquid bulk (crude oil and petroleum products) cargo to and from the Delaware River ports.