The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) has confirmed the completion of harbour deepening works at the Port of Savannah.
GPA said the project will expedite the flow of cargo to and from global destinations by reducing tidal restrictions for mega-ships transiting the Savannah River.
Dredging for the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project started in September 2015, adding five feet (1.5 metres) in depth to the shipping channel. Initial feasibility studies for the harbour deepening began in 1997.
Deepening the Savannah Harbor to 47 feet (14.3 metres) at mean low water (the average depth at low tide) provides ample draught for vessels carrying 16,000+ TEUs, allowing ships to transit the river with more containers each trip and during more hours of the day. Along with Savannah's seven-foot (2.1-metre) tidal swing, the water is as deep as 54 feet (16.4 metres) at high tide.
The deeper water enables ships to load up to approximately 1,000 containers worth of additional cargo, for increased efficiency in vessel transport.
