Expansion Of Savannah Harbor Finally Moving Ahead

The long-awaited Savannah Harbor deepening can move forward, now that officials with the Georgia Ports Authority, state transportation department and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have signed a key agreement.

Colonel Tom Tickner of the Army Corps of Engineers, says dredging to deepen the harbor to make way for bigger ships will begin early next year. He says the work will not be labor intensive.

“It’s equipment intensive,” Colonel Tickner said. “The real jobs come from the increase in transportation that will come as a result of this.”

Tickner and other officials signed off on the agreement Wednesday. He says he expects construction on the five-year project to begin in the New Year.

He confirmed the work will not interrupt the flow of transportation to the harbor.

“We’ll be dredging mainly at lower tide, and slack tide, but I don’t foresee any change to the shipping schedule; we’ll be able to work around each other.”

The state is fronting the money to begin work on the more than $700 million project, with the expectation that the federal government will fund the rest.

Tags: Savannah Harbor deepening, savannah harbor expansion, colonel tom tickner, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers