The Port of Grays Harbor officials, USACE’s Seattle District and port supporters and tenants earlier this week celebrated the Grays Harbor Dredging Project, which is deepening the navigation channel to a depth of 38 feet.

The project is expected to improve deep-draft vessel navigation in the channel by reducing current port tenants’ tidal delays and tidally-related draft restrictions.

The main goal of the scheme is to reduce navigation transportation costs for the existing and projected future traffic of deep-draft vessels, and improve efficiency and reliability of navigation to and from Grays Harbor.

Phase II of the three phase project began in October and completion is expected in September of 2018.

Port Executive Director Gary Nelson, Port Commissioner Jack Thompson, Army Corps of Engineers Colonel John Buck, Brusco Tugs’ Kevin Campbell, 19th District Representative Brian Blake and ILWU Local 24 President Mike Brown attended the ceremony.