Georgia Sens. Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss praised the Senate passage Wednesday of a water projects bill that, once it becomes law, will allow the Savannah harbor deepening project to begin moving forward immediately.
“I am delighted that the Senate passed the Water Resources Development Act, as it represents major progress in terms of allowing the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project to move forward,” Isakson said in a statement. “The port of Savannah is critically important to our state and local economies, and I will continue to work to see this project through to its completion.
“I also look forward to working with our colleagues in the House to improve the WRDA bill as it now moves to that chamber for consideration.”
To become law, the bill still must:
• Pass the U.S. House,
• Move through a Conference Committee, where differences are reconciled, and
• Be signed into law by the president.
Specifically, the water projects bill contains a provision to allow the Army Corps of Engineers to proceed with projects, such as the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project, that have a current cost higher than the amount Congress authorized when the projects were first proposed.
The bill would remove a spending cap of $459 million placed on the local project in 1999. The Corps now estimates the effort to cost $652 million.
Eliminating the spending limit would allow federal and state officials to finalize a cost-sharing agreement.
“This legislation would clear the way to begin work on harbor expansion and similar projects around the country,” said Rep. Jack Kingston, who represents Georgia’s 1st Congressional District.
“While we do not agree with every provision of the bill, it is a good product and shows what can happen when the legislative process is allowed to work.
“We will push for House passage of similar legislation so we can move forward with this important project and ensure our country is prepared for the economy of tomorrow,” Kingston said Thursday.
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is expected to take up the bill this summer.
While the House is likely to tinker with aspects of the bill, Georgia Ports’ executive director Curtis Foltz said it needs to come out of the House with the relevant language intact.
“Once the bill becomes law, then we will need to complete the partnership agreement between the state and the Corps,” he said. “Both sides have done their due diligence and prep work, so it should take only 30 days or so to get all the required signatures.
“At that point, the Corps can start awarding contracts on the project and start spending the money the state has already set aside.”
Deepening the Savannah Harbor from 42 to 47 feet is necessary to accommodate the super-sized container vessels expected to transit the Panama Canal after its 2015 expansion.
Georgia officials hope to start dredging this year.
Super ships coming
Speaking of those super ships expected to come to the East Coast once the Panama Canal expansion is complete, the Journal of Commerce reports that Maersk Line will begin deploying the first 12 of its order of 20 Triple E container ships on an Asia-Europe route this summer.
The first Triple E — the largest container ship in the world with a capacity of 18,270 TEUs, or 20-foot containers — is due for sea trials in the coming weeks and will make its maiden port call July 14 at Busan, Korea, a short voyage from Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering’s huge Korean shipyard, where the vessels are built.
At a whopping 1,310 feet long, the Triple E has a price tag to match: $190 million.
According to the Journal of Commerce, the “Triple E” name comes from the economy of scale, energy efficiency and environmental improvements Maersk says the bigger vessels will offer.
Senior business reporter Mary Carr Mayle covers the ports for the Savannah Morning News. She can be reached at 912-652-0324 or at mary.mayle@savannahnow.com.
SHIPPING SCHEDULE
These are the ships expected to call on Georgia Ports Authority’s Garden City and Ocean Terminals in the next week. Sailing schedules are provided by Georgia Ports Authority and are subject to change.
TERMINAL SHIP NAME ARRIVAL
GCT DRESDEN EXPRESS Today
GCT ISLANDIA Today
GCT E.R. DENMARK Today
GCT APL PEARL Today
GCT AL NOOF Today
GCT CMA CGM L’ETOILE Saturday
GCT CMA CGM AMBER Saturday
GCT PETROCHEM PRODUCER Saturday
GCT MSC ALESSIA Saturday
GCT CMA CGM TANCREDI Saturday
GCT OOCL HONG KONG Saturday
GCT HYUNDAI DYNASTY Saturday
GCT PHILADELPHIA EXPRESS Saturday
GCT TOKYO EXPRESS Saturday
OT BALTIC PANTHER Saturday
OT CLIPPER MARISSA Saturday
GCT EVER DECENT Sunday
GCT ZIM BARCELONA Sunday
GCT VECCHIO BRIDGE Sunday
GCT CSAV LUMACO Sunday
OT E.R. BASEL Sunday
GCT HEBE Monday
GCT MSC ASYA Monday
GCT ZIM ONTARIO Monday
GCT KRISTIN KNUTSEN Monday
GCT FRISIA ROTTERDAM Monday
GCT KRISTINA Tuesday
GCT ZIM MONACO Tuesday
GCT YM MANDATE Tuesday
GCT BUXCLIFF Tuesday
GCT APL EGYPT Tuesday
GCT CGM UTRILLO Tuesday
GCT STUTTGART EXPRESS Tuesday
GCT HANJIN GDYNIA Tuesday
GCT MOL GENEROSITY Wednesday
GCT COSCO SAO PAULO Wednesday
GCT MAERSK MISSOURI Wednesday
GCT RANJAN Wednesday
GCT NYK RUMINA Wednesday
OT ROYAL HARMONY Wednesday
OT ENDURANCE Wednesday
GCT CMA CGM CORAL Thursday
GCT VARAMO Thursday
GCT CSAV LEBU Thursday
GCT ZIM PUSAN Thursday
GCT MAERSK DELANO Thursday
GCT CSCL VANCOUVER Thursday
OT STAR HERDLA Thursday
OT TAMESIS Thursday