Maintaining deep-draft commercial navigation channels, supporting critical LNG and petrochemical energy exports, and restoring coastal wetland ecosystems, Mike Hooks LLC has been awarded a $34,098,830 firm-fixed-price contract. The civil works operations and maintenance project finances maintenance dredging along the Calcasieu River Ship Channel and the beneficial placement of dredged sediment into designated marsh creation containment areas near Hackberry, Louisiana, reaching a total cumulative face value of $36,492,037 if options are exercised.
Contract Details: At A Glance
| Contractor: | Mike Hooks LLC |
| Award Date: | September 29, 2026 |
| Contract Value: | $34,098,830 ($36,492,037 Cumulative Face Value) |
| Project: | Calcasieu River Ship Channel Maintenance Dredging & Marsh Creation Placement |
| Location: | Hackberry, Cameron Parish, Louisiana |
| Contract Number: | W912P8-26-C-A058 |
| Awarding District: | U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District |
District Context & Mission Impact
This major navigation and coastal restoration project is administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers New Orleans District. The Calcasieu River Ship Channel serves as a vital 40-foot-deep commercial waterway connecting Lake Charles to the Gulf of Mexico, accommodating heavy industrial, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and refined petroleum tanker traffic. Rapid siltation and shoaling continually restrict safe draft depths throughout the channel. Utilizing hydraulic cutterhead pipeline dredges, this operation excavates shoaled material and pumps sediment directly into coastal wetlands near Hackberry, achieving a dual benefit: restoring degraded brackish marsh habitats while ensuring safe, unhindered commercial vessel navigation through summer 2027.
Contractor Spotlight & Industry Context
Headquartered in Westlake, Louisiana, Mike Hooks LLC is an established family-owned hydraulic dredging contractor specializing in navigation channel maintenance, land reclamation, and coastal restoration across the Gulf Coast region. Bids were solicited via the internet with six competitive proposals received. Executing high-volume pipeline dredging operations along busy industrial ship channels requires heavy-duty cutterhead dredges, high-horsepower booster pumps, miles of submerged and floating discharge pipelines, and precise earthmoving equipment to construct marsh containment dikes. Partnering experienced regional dredging contractors with USACE coastal managers strengthens both maritime commerce and coastal land retention along Southwest Louisiana.
