The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston District, awarded a contract to Mike Hooks Inc., in the amount of $9,478,905 for maintenance dredging of the upper reaches of the Houston Ship Channel between Greens and Sims bayous.
The contractor is required to remove approximately 800,000 cubic yards of material using a hydraulic pipeline dredge.
“This dredge work allows the Corps to fulfill its mission of providing safe and navigable waterways for vessels importing and exporting goods to and from the Port of Houston, ” said Christopher C. Frabotta , deputy chief of USACE Galveston’s Operations Division. “ All dredge material from this contract will be placed in the Rosa Allen Placement Area.”
Work will begin within the next 30 days and is scheduled to be completed by July 31, 2012.
According to Frabotta, the Port of Houston ranks first in the nation in foreign waterborne tonnage; first in U.S. imports; and second in the nation with respect to foreign and domestic tonnage.
USACE Galveston District was established in 1880 as the first engineer district in Texas to oversee river and harbor improvements. The district is directly responsible for maintaining more than 1,000 miles of channel, including 270 miles of deep draft and 750 miles of shallow draft as well as the Colorado River Locks and Brazos River Floodgates.
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Dredging Today Staff, April 5, 2012; Image: usace