Army Corps awards contract for design and construction of new dredge

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) has awarded Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. of Panama City, FL, a contract worth $256.9 million for the design and construction of a Medium Class Hopper Dredge (MCHD) to replace the Dredge McFARLAND of the Corps’ Philadelphia District.

The Dredge McFARLAND is one of four oceangoing hopper dredges owned and operated by the Army Corps of Engineers.

The new MCHD will play a critical role in enabling the Corps to continue to deliver its navigation mission and provide for safe, reliable, effective, and environmentally sustainable waterborne transportation systems for vital national security, commerce, and recreation needs. The new dredge is estimated to be placed into service in 2027 and replaces the 57-year-old McFARLAND.