Maintaining clear commercial vessel access, preventing navigation channel shoaling, and supporting high-density maritime commerce along the Texas Gulf Coast, Matthews Brothers Dredging LLC has been awarded a $16,148,700 firm-fixed-price contract. The civil works navigation action finances maintenance dredging along commercial channels and harbor basins in Harris County, Texas.

Contract Details: At A Glance

District Context & Mission Impact

This critical coastal navigation maintenance project is administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Galveston District. The Galveston District oversees 1,000 miles of shallow and deep-draft navigation channels along the Texas coast, including the Houston Ship Channel complex in Harris County. Serving as one of the busiest petrochemical and container port complexes in the nation, maintaining authorized draft depths through Harris County waterways is essential for national energy transportation and international trade. Continuous siltation from coastal storms and river run-off reduces channel capacity. Executing routine maintenance dredging removes accumulated sediment, ensures safe vessel passage, and protects vital economic infrastructure through spring 2027.

Contractor Spotlight & Industry Context

Headquartered in Pass Christian, Mississippi, Matthews Brothers Dredging LLC is an experienced Gulf Coast marine contractor specializing in hydraulic cutterhead dredging, maintenance dredging, sediment disposal, and marsh restoration projects. Bids were solicited via the internet with three competitive proposals received. Executing maintenance dredging in high-traffic commercial navigation channels requires heavy hydraulic pipeline dredges, tender tugs, pipeline placement management, and continuous hydrographic bathymetric surveying to minimize disruptions to commercial ship traffic. Partnering experienced regional dredging contractors with USACE marine engineering teams safeguards resilient maritime supply chains.