The U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services, through the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025, tasked the U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) with assessing how reduced dredging capacity may have impacted designated strategic seaports. In response, USTRANSCOM submitted a report titled Dredging and the Strategic Seaport Program , which has recently been declassified and made available to the public.
The report outlines operational impacts, identifies root causes of dredging challenges, and provides recommendations for prioritizing limited dredging resources.
Contrary to the assumption that Jones Act dredges/ dredging equipment availability is the primary issue, the report clarifies that the real challenges lie elsewhere. Key impediments include:
“ This report is soundly written and should serve as an important guide for lawmakers and executive branch officials, ” said William P. Doyle , Chief Executive Officer of the Dredging Contractors of America.
“ Clearly, we need help – from industry, federal, and state-level stakeholders. All seaports, particularly those on the East Coast, are being strangled by outdated and overly burdensome regulations that restrict the number of days dredging operations can take place. In some mid-South Atlantic regions, we’re limited to just four months per year. ”
The report includes case studies from three strategic seaports: Savannah, Georgia; Virginia; and Gulfport, Mississippi.
The USTRANSCOM report underscores the importance of addressing regulatory, environmental, and funding challenges to ensure the continued operational readiness of strategic U.S. seaports. As these ports are vital to national defense and economic security, a collaborative effort among federal agencies, state governments, and industry stakeholders is essential.
“ The findings serve as a call to action for Congress and the executive branch to modernize dredging regulations, streamline permitting, and ensure sufficient resources are allocated for long-term infrastructure resilience ,” Mr. Doyle concluded.