Federal, State Partners Practice Beneficial Use Solutions for Port of Baltimore

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Baltimore District and Maryland Port Administration are demonstrating a collaborative approach to maintaining one of the nation's most economically vital shipping channels with the hybrid dredge DB Avalon (operated by Curtin Maritime) in the Patapsco River in late Spring 2026.

On June 16, the trio's partnership showed how it keeps the Port of Baltimore navigable for approximately 2,000 vessels annually, moving roughly 40 million tons of cargo. The Port generates approximately $70 billion in annual economic impact and supports over 273,000 jobs statewide. The operation also illustrates how modern dredging practices address a persistent challenge: managing millions of cubic yards of sediment while creating environmental and economic benefits. The importance of maintaining navigable channels became evident in March 2024, when the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge forced a complete harbor closure, temporarily disrupting shipping and underscoring the port's vulnerability to channel obstructions. Routine maintenance dredging ensures that authorized navigation channels remain clear of natural sediment accumulation.

"We remain committed to maintaining the approach channels that are vital in supporting the world-class Port of Baltimore," said Col. Francis Pera, Baltimore District Commander. "This routine maintenance dredging is necessary in ensuring the Port can accommodate consistent vessel flow of large ships and safe navigation, fueling this major economic engine for the state of Maryland, the mid-Atlantic region and the nation."

The Partnership Model

The Baltimore Harbor and Channels project operates under authorizations from the River and Harbor Act of 1970 and the Water Resources Development Act of 1996. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers provides federal authorization and $229 million in fiscal year 2026 appropriations. The Maryland Port Administration serves as nonfederal sponsor, providing placement sites and stewardship capacity. Curtin Maritime executes the dredging work through competitively awarded contracts.

Darren Swift, Deputy Director of the Office of Navigation, Innovation and Stewardship at Maryland Port Administration, noted the collaborative significance. He explained that maintaining navigation channels requires constant sediment removal and that the partners have integrated material management with environmental and community interests.

"We have limited capacity in the Baltimore harbor," Swift said. "We only have two dredge material containment facilities and property and space. In this urban environment, it's very difficult to find large-scale disposal sites."

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NOAA, and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources coordinate on environmental protection, ensuring dredging operations maintain channel safety while protecting aquatic resources.

Operational Methods

The DB Avalon uses a clamshell dredging method that differs from alternative approaches. Rather than hydraulic or hopper dredges that suction material, the clamshell crane lowers into the channel and mechanically scoops sediment.

Kevin Fenyak, project manager in the USACE Navigation Branch, described the process.

"So when they dredge, they use a big clamshell," Fenyak said. "It goes to the bottom, picks up the sediment, and then they deposit that into a scow. And when that scow is full, then they push that scow over to the offloading pier at Cox Creek."

Annual maintenance dredging removes approximately 3.0 million cubic yards from the Baltimore Harbor approach channels. The current Curtin Maritime contract covers 1.46 million cubic yards over the winter-through-spring 2026 period, with material routed to Cox Creek Dredged Material Containment Facility.

Curtin operates the DB Avalon with 24-hour rotating crew schedules. Kyle Herrick, Manager of Dredge Administration for Curtin, emphasized that continuous operations with rotating shifts ensure both progress and crew safety by preventing fatigue.

Sustainable Material Management: Cox Creek and STAR

Cox Creek Dredged Material Containment Facility, located downstream of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, has received dredged material since 2005 and includes 126 acres of preserved Swan Creek wetlands, a premier birding location.

The Maryland Port Administration is developing the adjacent Cox Creek Sediment Technology and Reuse (STAR) Facility, an innovation that shifts the focus from disposal to productive reuse. The facility identifies two pathways: beneficial use (in-water placement for ecosystem restoration) and innovative reuse (upland applications such as bricks, lightweight aggregates, and engineered fill).

"We're hoping to do a large-scale beneficial use or innovative reuse," Swift said. "We have ongoing success of beneficial use (BU) projects and positive performance of recent innovative reuse (IR) demonstration projects. MPA acquired land adjacent to Cox Creek DMCF to serve as a hub for these innovative approaches to dredged material management."

The STAR Facility, purchased by MPA in 2022, is undergoing phased environmental remediation. The first 26-acre parcel is expected to begin supporting reuse activities this year. In 2026, the facility targets recovery of up to 50,000 cubic yards of material from Cox Creek, with an estimated 1.2 million cubic yards expected over a planned five-year period.

Building on Success: Poplar Island and the Mid-Bay Project

The Port of Baltimore's placement strategy builds on proven beneficial use at the Paul S. Sarbanes Ecosystem Restoration Project at Poplar Island. Beginning in 2001, dredged material restoration transformed the island from 4 eroded acres to its current trajectory of 1,715 acres, creating habitat for eagles, ospreys, herons, and other Chesapeake Bay wildlife. The project demonstrated that dredged material, properly managed, serves environmental restoration while addressing placement challenges.

As Poplar Island nears capacity, the Mid-Chesapeake Bay Island Ecosystem Restoration Project—the Mid-Bay Project—becomes the critical future placement site. Located in western Dorchester County near James Island and Barren Island, the project will restore 2,144 acres of remote island habitat through the beneficial use of dredged material, providing hundreds of acres of wetland and terrestrial habitat for fish, shellfish, birds, and mammals.

The project implements a long-term strategy for meeting Port dredging needs while maximizing dredged material as a beneficial resource. In the last 150 years, an estimated 10,500 acres of such habitat have been lost in the middle Chesapeake Bay. The Mid-Bay Project will provide navigational safety, education, recreation, and potential tourism benefits alongside direct ecological restoration.

Development is progressing with notable advancements. Barren Island Phase 1, which included protective stone sills and breakwaters, is complete. Phase 2 construction began in January 2025 with preparation of wetland to receive dredged material. James Island Phase 1 construction, with a $53.8 million base contract, began in 2026 and primarily consists of creating a confined sand stockpile for future dike construction.

Once Poplar Island capacity is reached, the Mid-Bay Project will accommodate 90 to 95 million cubic yards of dredged material over 30 years. It is a federal-state partnership between USACE and MPA, funded 65 percent federal and 35 percent state, with $155.8 million in federal funding committed to date.

Sustaining Port Competitiveness

The USACE Baltimore District conducts semiannual hydrographic surveys of the channels to provide current navigation data to ship pilots and maritime interests.

Charles Leasure, USACE Baltimore District Environmental Policy Advisor, observed the DB Avalon operations alongside MPA counterparts. He noted that partnership coordination ensures dredging operations meet navigation requirements while addressing environmental stewardship and community benefits simultaneously.

The approach represents a fundamental shift in how federal, state, and private sector entities view dredged material—not as a disposal challenge but as a resource with environmental and economic potential. As the Port of Baltimore continues to support regional and national commerce, the sustainable management of dredged material through beneficial reuse and innovative applications will remain critical to long-term viability.