Seattle Harbor Navigation Improvement Project

The Seattle Harbor Navigation Improvement Project is eligible for congressional appropriation of design and construction following U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Commanding General Lt. Gen. Todd T. Semonite signing the Chief of Engineers Report June 7, 2018, and Congress authorizing the project October 25, 2018, in the Water Resources Development Act of 2018.

The authorized project includes deepening the East and West Waterways to 57 feet below mean lower low water.  If Congress appropriates funding, the construction will improve navigation in Seattle Harbor’s East and West Waterways. The deeper waterways will accommodate today’s larger container ship fleet draft requirements.

The Port of Seattle is the non-federal project sponsor that worked with the Corps to complete the feasibility study which began in 2014. The study evaluated several deepening alternatives.

Following appropriation, the Corps and Port of Seattle would engage in detailed design phases for each waterway prior to project construction.

The Port of Seattle is a major gateway for containerized traffic. To remain a competitive Pacific trade route port, it must have sufficient water depth for partially loaded vessels to call and take on additional cargo.