The dredging operations on the New Bedford lower harbor, undertaken by Cashman Dredging and Marine Contracting Co., are nearing its completion.

Cashman Dredging, a heavy-construction company based in Quincy, Massachusetts, won this $15 million contract in May 2017.

According to the company, it is estimated that this capital dredging project will be completed during the first half of 2018.

Project highlights

• Dredging is being performed in depths of up to 30 feet of water and as shallow as 3 feet;
• Sediments placed into the Lower Harbor Confined Aquatic Disposal Cell (LHCC) are being dredged using mechanical dredging equipment with a closed environmental bucket;
• Approximately 130,000 to 170,000 cubic yards of dredge materials exceeding the Lower Harbor Superfund cleanup level of 50 ppm are being removed and placed in the LHCC. Most of the material underlies the State Channel on the New Bedford side of the harbor;
• To minimize over-dredging, dredging accuracy is being controlled by using a Cashman-refined and enhanced Dredgepack dredge bucket positioning system (DGPS);
• Cashman developed a precise technical approach that incorporates “lessons learned” from dredging PCB-impacted sediments and from precision dredging using their dredge monitoring and positioning systems.

New Bedford Harbor is a deep water commercial port with easy access to the maritime corridor from the Massachusetts coast, located on the northwestern side of Buzzard’s Bay.

Once the world’s largest whaling port and a cotton manufacturing center, the harbor is now a major fishing port. The Port of New Bedford also serves as a break-bulk handler of perishable items, including fruit and fish, and also handles other cargo.