By Karen E. Thuermer, AJOT The big news coming from port authorities along the Delaware River is: the deepening of the Delaware River has finally begun. The deepening, which will take the Delaware River’s channel from 40 to 45 feet in depth, is a major plus for Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, which have port operations there. The Philadelphia Regional Port Authority (PRPA) regards the debate surrounding the project “a long road, paved with countless rallies, meetings, editorials, press conferences, budgetary discussions, debates and grassroots efforts.” Environmental groups still challenge the order based on where dredged material and debris is going to be placed. While their argument is expected to become heated, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, nevertheless, got the green light in January that it could begin the deepening after the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware ruled in favor of the project.
In that decision, Judge Sue L. Robinson wrote: “the public holds a vested interest in the nation’s environmental preservation efforts,” but that “the public holds an equally compelling stake in the continued economic vitality of the Delaware River ports.” She further noted: “Congress has made the determination that it is in the public interest to proceed with the Deepening Project.” Full Steam Ahead While U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia, spokesman Ed Voigt remarks that his organization stays neutral on these decisions—since the national interest must be best served – he admits that dredging the channel gives the Delaware River seaports a competitive advantage. With the opening of the Panama Canal in 2014 looming fast, bigger ships with deeper draughts will begin transiting ports on the East Coast. If the seaports on the Delaware River are to attract their business, the ships must be able to make their way up the channel. When the federal court handed down its decision, dredging firms were already working on behalf of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers performing normal maintenance on the river to maintain the channel at 40 feet. “They were able to switch over to channel deepening operations, which is considered new construction, and started work the first week in March,” reports Voigt. The channel widening involves digging down to 45 feet along 12 out of 102 miles of the channel. “That’s only one-eight of the channel, but it involves taking out one-sixth of the material,” Voigt says. “There’s one stretch that needs more dredging than others because it shoals more often.” The project is estimated to take about five years to complete.
Pleased as Punch As can be expected, PRPA officials are pleased with the development, especially given the fact that other ports across the country, including the Port of Baltimore and Port of New York/New Jersey, have already either begun or have completed deepening projects. The Port of Baltimore recently announced a private sector investment of $750 million after the deepening.  “We’ve sent a message to the world’s shipping industry that Philadelphia is proactive, responsive, and won’t stop fighting for the things we need to do,” comments Joe Menta, PRPA Director of Communications. “A deeper channel will allow us to welcome the world’s largest cargo vessels and send a message that Philadelphia is serious about competing with our distinguished competition in the port industry for containers and other diverse cargoes, the lifeblood of any port.” Tom Keefer, deputy executive director of Diamond State Port Corp., the group that overseas the Port of Wilmington, comments that the dredging on the Delaware River will have long term benefits to his port. “Without a deeper channel, I think there would be less busin