Cashman to complete Baltimore Harbor dredging project this Spring

Cashman Dredging & Marine Contracting of Quincy, Massachusetts, recently won a $29.1 million USACE contract for Baltimore Harbor and channels maintenance dredging.

In coordination with the Maryland Department of Transportation, Port Administration, the project consists of dredging approximately 1.6 million cubic yards of material from two channels in Maryland associated with the Baltimore Harbor, ensuring continued safe navigation for vessels going in and out of the Port of Baltimore.

“Baltimore Harbor channels rely on maintenance dredging to serve and strengthen the region and the nation, energize the economy, and reduce navigation safety risks,” said Baltimore District Commander Col. Estee Pinchasin. “We are committed to working alongside our partners at the Port Administration on this effort to maintain the depths of these vital channels and ensure the Port of Baltimore can accommodate some of the world’s largest ships and continue to serve the region.”

The dredged material is being removed via clamshell dredge and taken by barge to the respective placement sites. The removed material consists primarily of mud, silt, sand, shell, and mixtures thereof.

Approximately 1.3 million cubic yards of material will be dredged from Brewerton Channel Eastern Extension and beneficially reused at the Paul S. Sarbanes Ecosystems Restoration Project at Poplar Island located on the eastern side of the Chesapeake Bay.

In addition, approximately 311,000 cubic yards of material dredged from the Curtis Bay Channel will be placed at the Cox Creek Dredged Material Containment Facility.

Maintenance dredging of the Maryland channels began in late November, with an estimated completion date of March 2024.