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Panama Canal waterway is expected to reach 50 feet deep |
| Time:2011-08-26 Hits: 1744 Origin:
Kai Hing
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Panama Canal deepening project is expected to be completed at the end of 2014, when the channel depth will reach 50 feet, the east coast of the United States now only Norfolk, Virginia, passing through the canal deep enough to accommodate giant container to the U.S. East Coast wheel, other ports now actively seek federal permission and huge amounts of money, to serve for dredging and Renovation project.
Asian container ships to the U.S. East Coast via the Panama Canal, but like the captain of 1,100 feet, 8,500 containers can be appended to the French company CMA CGM Figaro giant cargo ship, sailing in the No. 2 U.S. East Coast U.S. fourth largest cum Savannah, Georgia, Hong Kong, they can only carry half of the container, and when sailing at high water, to avoid striking the riverbed.
U.S. East Coast ports are not deep trouble
U.S. East Coast from New York to Miami's port deep enough, can not accommodate such giant container ships, the Panama Canal expansion plan, however, forced them to accelerate the deepening of the port channel to accommodate the era known as the Panama Canal after a large container ships.
U.S. Ports Association (AAPA) President Kurt J. Nagle said, "about the future operation of the Panama Canal boats 3 times larger than now, said the market situation will reverse the Panama Canal is not an exaggeration."
U.S. East Coast's busiest port in New York and New Jersey, is conducting a $ 2.3 billion expansion plan, the channel deepening to 50 feet, but the Bayonne Bridge across the channel height is too low, port officials said at least raise the bridge height need $ 1.3 billion.
Savannah port dredging needs $ 588 million fund, the federal government will pay two-thirds of the cost, but the plan is expected to start this year the Department still needs U.S. Army engineers (USACE) The approval. Nathan Deal, Georgia governor, "said Savannah Harbour deepening project lies not only in the region or the importance of state, but also the entire southeastern region."
Savannah Port of Savannah workers is extremely looking forward to the expansion port, dock workers, Christopher Johnson, said the second-generation, larger container ships can carry more containers, in other words, the need for more dock workers unloading, if Sa Savannah port is not expanded, while the neighboring Port of Jacksonville, Florida, or South Carolina in Charleston harbor deepening project to start, then the Savannah port workers will lose their jobs.
Expansion of the nation is still in Hong Kong Campaign
At the same time, the fourth busiest East Coast port of Charleston is applying for $ 400,000 federal funds to allow the Department of the Army engineers to conduct a feasibility assessment, and Jacksonville, Miami, Hong Kong has already made deep channel dredging permit, is applying for funding $ 75 million to allow the works to start the first stage.
However, these ports access to capital will face severe challenges. And evaluation of projects for the dredging of federal funding, often regarded as a profit individual constituencies, this type of spending is often accused of wasting public money. Last year the U.S. midterm elections, Republicans advocate a cut in government spending well more than half of the House of Representatives seats won, the Republican vowed to get rid of this profit plan constituency case.
Association Naige U.S. ports, "said the dredging project has significant influence," insists that this is not a federal waste. Savannah port expansion project assessment report released in November last year, the Department of the Army engineers believe that dredging for the Port of Savannah has cost the United States overall, and finally to rely on Savannah port stakeholders sigh of relief.
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