(HOUSTON) — Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corp., the largest provider of dredging services in the United States, has announced the receipt of two dredging awards totaling $186.6 million.
The awarded work includes the Freeport Harbor Channel Improvement Project, dredging reaches 1, 2, and 4 (capital, Texas, $157.4 million), and the Galveston Entrance Channel and Houston Ship Channel Dredging Project (maintenance, Texas, $29.2 million).
The Freeport Harbor Channel Improvement Project entails deepening the channel to authorized depths of 51 to 56 feet, which will make Port of Freeport the deepest port in Texas. This channel is 7.5 miles and is currently the shortest channel on the Texas Gulf with direct access to the Gulf Intercoastal Waterway. This project will open the state to larger ships.
The client on this project is the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston District, and is federally funded. Work is expected to commence in the second half of 2023 with estimated completion in the fourth quarter of 2025. This project is the third-largest domestic award in Great Lakes’ history.
The Galveston Entrance Channel and Houston Ship Channel (Bolivar to Redfish) Dredging Project includes maintenance dredging to maintain associated channel depths. The client on this project is the Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston District, and is federally funded. Work is expected to commence in the second half of 2023 with estimated completion in the first quarter of 2024. This project also includes the beneficial use of dredged materials on Galveston Island.
“Great Lakes is pleased to add the above work to our backlog of capital and maintenance dredging projects,” said Lasse Petterson, president and chief executive officer. “The Freeport Channel Improvement Project is one of the first capital projects to be awarded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 2023 and we anticipate several more capital projects to enter the market before the end of the year. We are proud to bring our strong safety culture and experience as the contractor on both of these projects. There is a great need for the above listed projects and similar projects to continue to support the overall improvement and resiliency of our country’s environment, coastlines and infrastructure.”
– Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corp.