Dredging Industry Commemorates Pearl Harbor by Highlighting Industry Growth
The U.S.-Flag dredging industry commemorated the 77th anniversary of the Japanese air raid on the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor. The event highlighted the critical need for a robust American shipbuilding capacity to ensure for the preparedness of the nation.
According to the Dredging Contractors of America (DCA), the American dredging industry is amid a $1.5 billion dredging fleet expansion. New investments include four large cutter suction dredges, two large hopper dredges and approximately 50 barges built in shipyards across the United States, including Eastern Shipbuilding in Panama City, Florida, Conrad Shipyard in Morgan City, Louisiana, and Halimar Shipyard, also in Morgan City.
In addition, Callan Marine is constructing a 32-inch hydraulic cutter suction dredge at C&C Marine Shipyard in Belle Chasse, Louisiana; Dutra Group is building two 6,000-cubic-yard hydraulic dump scows in Corn Island Shipyard in Grandview, Indiana; and Weeks Marine is building a 30-inch cutter head suction dredge at C&C Marine Shipyard. Manson Construction is in the design phase on a large-scale, self-propelled Glenn Edwards Class hopper dredge, and Cashman Dredging is procuring log-lead time equipment for the construction of two 6,000-cubic-yard hopper dredges.
The U.S.-Flag Jones Act dredging industry is an integral part of the 500,000 jobs supported by the U.S. maritime industry. Investment decisions are reliant on the perceived permanence of the Jones Act. DCA said the maritime law that has enabled the overall U.S. maritime industry to generate $100 billion in annual economic output, $30 billion in annual employee compensation, $11 billion in annual tax revenues and $46 billion in value-added.
