Cottrell Contracting and the US Army Corps of Engineers start dredging the Inner Channel in Norfolk Harbor (Norfolk VA). City district will manage the maintenance project as part of an effort to remove shoaling, thus allowing safe and unrestricted navigation for both commercial and US Navy vessels transiting Port Norfolk. The project is scheduled for completion in 5 months.
The USD 10,4 million contract was awarded in August 2019 to the Chesapeake-based company Cottrell Contracting. It allows the dredging of ~840,000 m3 (29,7 million ft3) of sediment from the shipping channel. Cottrell Contracting will pump it via pipeline to Craney Island Dredged Material Management Area, Portsmouth.
Maintenance dredging is required every 12 to 15 months in Norfolk Harbor Channel and every three to four years in the channel to Newport News. Without it, the high rate of shoaling would severely restrict vessel movement within the port.