Georgia's quest to further deepen Savannah's harbor, hot on the heels of a nearly $1 billion dredging project completed in 2022, has secured an influential proponent in U.S. Rep. Sam Graves. At the bustling port, the Missouri Republican and House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee chairman declared his allegiance to the cause—his committee's impending infrastructure bill could authorize the crucial study, as reported by WABE.
It's been scarcely two years since the Army Corps of Engineers completed the last harbor deepening, extending it by 5 feet to better accommodate mega cargo ships. The expansion didn't come cheap, costing federal and state taxpayers a whopping $937 million. Yet, officials argue that this isn't enough—the shipping channel's depth must be reevaluated to accommodate the growing fleet of colossal vessels requiring deeper drafts to navigate during low tides. Georgia's Republican Governor Brian Kemp, speaking at the port alongside Graves, framed the sight of these massive ships as proof of the harbor's significance. "When you come to this port and see all these ships, you don’t even have to sell it to anybody," he said. "Just let them look and they can see how unbelievable it is," as reported by WABE.
The urgency is palpable among Georgia officials; Savannah's port is the fourth-ranking U.S. seaport for containerized cargo, a key cog in the economic wheel having handled about 4.9 million units in 2023 alone. And with the political backing secured—it spans across the aisle with both Democratic senators from Georgia and all House members, nine Republicans and five Democrats, rallying behind a Jan. 26 letter to congressional committee leaders in support of a follow-up study. "There’s no such thing as standing still," U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter explained to WABE, whose district includes the bustling harbor. "If you’re not moving forward, you’re moving backward. We need to continue to move forward. That’s why we need this study so much."
Graves is keen on getting the 2024 Water Resources Development Act before the House for a vote come summer—the prelim to a potentially extensive process, given the last deepening took two decades to transition from study to reality; however, Griff Lynch, CEO of the Georgia Ports Authority, harbors belief that the Corps can expedite the next round. Lynch told WABE that the new undertaking could be wrapped within a decade, showcasing a confidence that perhaps Savannah's waterways will sooner rather than later accommodate the giants of trade that grace its docks.
