The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently finished dredging the outer harbor at the Port of Savannah, and work will soon begin on a second phase that will expand the inner harbor channel by five feet.
The Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP) will enable Neo-Panamax vessels carrying heavier loads and access the Savannah River, which will reduce fuel usage and transportation costs for American producers.
Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal said completion of outer harbor dredging marks a midpoint for the projects and a “crucial milestone” for Savannah, Georgia, and the nation as a whole.
“The Port of Savannah is already the second busiest port in the nation for exports and the timely completion of this project will be a major step forward for our nation’s infrastructure,” Deal said. “To ensure that SHEP remains on schedule, my FY 2018 budget proposal calls for $35 million in additional support for the project.”
President Donald Trump’s fiscal year 2019 budget allocates $49 million to the project. Georgia’s congressional delegation is also considering increasing funding to $100 million per year to ensure the project is completed on schedule.
“Deepening the port, along with other investments to create the nation’s strongest statewide logistics network, will make American exports more competitive abroad and benefit businesses in every corner of the state,” Deal said. “Georgia is currently investing $1 billion per year in transportation projects to widen interstates, add truck-only lanes and improve trucking routes between ports and interstates so that cargo may move across our state and the southeast faster, without adding to traffic congestion.”
The Army Corps of Engineers estimates that the project will lead to a $282 million net be in transportation savings for shippers and consumers each year. Estimates indicate that each dollar spent on construction will generate $7.30 in net benefits.
“Just as we have been ranked the top state in which to do business for five consecutive years, Georgia will continue to make investments that will help us lead the way in transporting goods to the global marketplace,” Deal said.