Contracted crews working for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, began maintenance dredging of the York Spit Channel in the Chesapeake Bay Saturday, May 9th to maintain safe passage for container ships calling at the Port of Baltimore.
The channel is being dredged to a depth of 51 feet and width of 800 feet, which involves the removal of approximately 2.68 million cubic yards of material.
York Spit is one of the approach channels container vessels take through Virginia waters of the Chesapeake Bay when traveling to and from the Port of Baltimore, a significant economic engine for the region.
Crews from Great Lakes Dredge and Dock are carrying out the work aboard Dredge TERRAPIN ISLAND through a $17.6 million contract awarded by the Corps of Engineers.
The York Spit dredging is expected be completed by late summer.
York Spit is one of six channels associated with Baltimore Harbor being dredged by the Corps of Engineers this fiscal year.