Army Corps May Dredge Four Feet from Rouge River
Officials say commercial ships need additional draft to carry maximum cargo load
“It could be the difference between a ship carrying 26,000 tons of iron ore versus carrying 18,000. And when you look at a facility that’s handling 2-3 million tons of iron ore during the course of the year. That could multiple additional trips up the river”
Detroit’s Rouge River may gain four feet of depth. The federal shipping channel could be slated for dredging once the Army Corps of Engineers finishes a shoreline and dock stability assessment. That 2-mile portion of the Rouge provides access to multiple industrial sites between the Detroit River and Dearborn. Detroit Wayne Port Authority CEO John Loftus tells WDET’s Amy Miller dredging four feet of silt and sludge from the channel is critical if boats want to haul their maximum tonnage.
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