The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers expects equipment to be mobilized the week of June 10, 2018, for the anticipated start of the emergency dredging of the entrance channel to the Palm Beach Harbor. The contractor assigned to the project is Cashman Dredging and Marine Contracting Co., LLC. The dredging depth is set for 35 feet plus 2 feet allowable overdepth, and the volume of material to be removed is approximately 16,000 cubic yards.
Dredging operations will be within the Federal Navigation Channel encompassing the Palm Beach Entrance Channel. The project will involve the Dredge ATCHAFALAYA removing shoaled material from the Federal Channel and then transiting to a near shore disposal area south of the entrance channel. The survey vessel SURVEY 2 and various other support vessels will support the dredge. All vessels will monitor VHF channels 16, 13, and 12, using 74 as the working channel. Mariners are urged to transit at their slowest safe speed to minimize wake and proceed with caution after passing arrangements have been made. Operations will continue 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. The project duration is estimated to be 7 days.