The Big Bend Channel expansion scheme is complete – a year ahead of schedule, Port Tampa Bay said in its latest announcement.
The $63 million milestone project, which deepened and widened the Big Bend Channel, will allow for larger ships to call at the terminals.
“This is one of the largest projects we have worked on at Port Tampa Bay,” said Port Tampa Bay President/CEO Paul Anderson . “This is a legacy that truly reshapes our economic landscape and will impact generations to come.”
The U.S. Corps of Engineers’ Jacksonville District awarded the Big Bend contract to Great Lakes Dredge & Docks Co., which started project work in October 2018.
The Oak Brook, Illinois, based dredging contractor completed the job last week, a year ahead of schedule. It was slated as an 18-month project.
According to Patch , the project deepened the entrance channel, east/west channel, inner channel, turning basin and local service facilities at Big Bend from 34 to 43 feet. It widened the entrance channel from 200 to 250 feet for a length of 1.9 miles. The project also deepened the existing turning basin to 43 feet, and expanded the existing turning basin to 1,200 feet.