Post 45 Project Gets Funding

The Charleston Harbor Post 45 Deepening Project has received $1.3 million in funding for the Pre-construction Engineering and Design (PED) Phase of the project from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ 2015 Work Plan’s additional allocations.

This funding allows the PED phase to begin upon finalizing the design agreement with the South Carolina State Ports Authority. The PED phase will finalize the design of the recommended modifications to the federal channel within Charleston Harbor.

Work completed during this phase will include ship simulations, finalizing cost estimates, and generating plans and specifications, as well as project refinements.

The Charleston Harbor Post 45 Deepening Project is the first project in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to go through the Corps’ new Civil Works Planning Process from start to finish.

This has enabled the Charleston District to reduce the initial study timeline of five to eight years down to less than four years, and reduce the initial study budget from $20 million to less than $12 million dollars. This project will serve as a model for Corps civil works projects around the world.

Concurrent with preparations for the design agreement is a 30-day review period of the final report for state and resource agencies that begins July 10. The Chief’s Report, issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is expected to be finalized by September and transmitted to Congress for authorization later this year.

The Post-45 Deepening Project began in 2011 and has moved expeditiously through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ accelerated planning process. Upon completion of the 52 foot deepening, Charleston will offer the deepest harbor on the East Coast with unrestricted capability to handle post-Panamax vessel calls.