The Dredge Amelia Island, the newest hopper dredge in the Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Co. fleet, works offshore of Surfside Beach, South Carolina, July 27, 2026, as part of the USACE Charleston District's Grand Strand Renourishment project. Measuring 346 feet in length with a 6,330 cubic yard hopper capacity, the state-of-the-art vessel operates by lowering its dual 800mm suction pipes to vacuum sand into its hopper before pumping up to 5,000 cubic yards of material per hour ashore. The vessel's 16,500 total installed horsepower allows it to pump sand further down the pipelines, accelerating coastal protection efforts along the Grand Strand.
The primary purpose of this renourishment is to build a wider, higher beach and dune system capable of absorbing storm wave energy, which protects oceanfront homes, businesses, roads and utilities from flooding and structural damage. While the wide, sandy beach also offers an inviting shoreline for tourists and the public, coastal protection remains the primary goal.
The Grand Strand Renourishment project has progressed steadily down the coast this year. North Myrtle Beach sand placement finished Jan. 31. In Myrtle Beach, work began in May and sand placement finished July 3. The final reach of the project in Surfside Beach and Garden City is expected to be completed by mid-August.
Operations continue around the clock aboard the Dredge Amelia Island during the Grand Strand Renourishment project in Surfside Beach, South Carolina, July 27, 2026. The advanced 346-foot vessel is kept running efficiently by dedicated crews who work rigorous four-week shifts aboard the dredge followed by two weeks off on land. Boasting 16,500 total installed horsepower, the Amelia Island is built to execute critical coastal development and restoration projects along all U.S. coasts, ensuring high-powered performance as it pumps sand further and faster down the pipeline.
The primary purpose of this renourishment is to build a wider, higher beach and dune system capable of absorbing storm wave energy, which protects oceanfront homes, businesses, roads and utilities from flooding and structural damage. While the wide, sandy beach also offers an inviting shoreline for tourists and the public, coastal protection remains the primary goal.
The Grand Strand Renourishment project has progressed steadily down the coast this year. North Myrtle Beach sand placement finished Jan. 31. In Myrtle Beach, work began in May and sand placement finished July 3. The final reach of the project in Surfside Beach and Garden City is expected to be completed by mid-August.
The Dredge Amelia Island, the newest hopper dredge in the Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Co. fleet, works offshore of Surfside Beach, South Carolina, July 27, 2026, as part of the USACE Charleston District's Grand Strand Renourishment project. Measuring 346 feet in length with a 6,330 cubic yard hopper capacity, the state-of-the-art vessel operates by lowering its dual 800mm suction pipes to vacuum sand into its hopper before pumping up to 5,000 cubic yards of material per hour ashore. The vessel's 16,500 total installed horsepower allows it to pump sand further down the pipelines, accelerating coastal protection efforts along the Grand Strand.
The primary purpose of this renourishment is to build a wider, higher beach and dune system capable of absorbing storm wave energy, which protects oceanfront homes, businesses, roads and utilities from flooding and structural damage. While the wide, sandy beach also offers an inviting shoreline for tourists and the public, coastal protection remains the primary goal.
The Grand Strand Renourishment project has progressed steadily down the coast this year. North Myrtle Beach sand placement finished Jan. 31. In Myrtle Beach, work began in May and sand placement finished July 3. The final reach of the project in Surfside Beach and Garden City is expected to be completed by mid-August.
Operations continue around the clock aboard the Dredge Amelia Island during the Grand Strand Renourishment project in Surfside Beach, South Carolina, July 27, 2026. The advanced 346-foot vessel is kept running efficiently by dedicated crews who work rigorous four-week shifts aboard the dredge followed by two weeks off on land. Boasting 16,500 total installed horsepower, the Amelia Island is built to execute critical coastal development and restoration projects along all U.S. coasts, ensuring high-powered performance as it pumps sand further and faster down the pipeline.
The primary purpose of this renourishment is to build a wider, higher beach and dune system capable of absorbing storm wave energy, which protects oceanfront homes, businesses, roads and utilities from flooding and structural damage. While the wide, sandy beach also offers an inviting shoreline for tourists and the public, coastal protection remains the primary goal.
The Grand Strand Renourishment project has progressed steadily down the coast this year. North Myrtle Beach sand placement finished Jan. 31. In Myrtle Beach, work began in May and sand placement finished July 3. The final reach of the project in Surfside Beach and Garden City is expected to be completed by mid-August.
The Dredge Amelia Island, the newest hopper dredge in the Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Co. fleet, works offshore of Surfside Beach, South Carolina, July 27, 2026, as part of the USACE Charleston District's Grand Strand Renourishment project. Measuring 346 feet in length with a 6,330 cubic yard hopper capacity, the state-of-the-art vessel operates by lowering its dual 800mm suction pipes to vacuum sand into its hopper before pumping up to 5,000 cubic yards of material per hour ashore. The vessel's 16,500 total installed horsepower allows it to pump sand further down the pipelines, accelerating coastal protection efforts along the Grand Strand.
The primary purpose of this renourishment is to build a wider, higher beach and dune system capable of absorbing storm wave energy, which protects oceanfront homes, businesses, roads and utilities from flooding and structural damage. While the wide, sandy beach also offers an inviting shoreline for tourists and the public, coastal protection remains the primary goal.
The Grand Strand Renourishment project has progressed steadily down the coast this year. North Myrtle Beach sand placement finished Jan. 31. In Myrtle Beach, work began in May and sand placement finished July 3. The final reach of the project in Surfside Beach and Garden City is expected to be completed by mid-August.
Christy DiFelice, Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Co. project manager, coordinates beach renourishment operations at Surfside Beach, South Carolina, July 27, 2026. DiFelice oversees the deployment of the Dredge Amelia Island—the newest hopper dredge in the GLDD fleet. The massive 346-foot vessel features a 6,330 cubic yard hopper capacity and utilizes dual trailing suction pipes to dredge depths up to 100 feet. Under DiFelice's leadership, crews working alternating four-week shifts leverage the vessel's 16,500 total installed horsepower to pump sand faster and further down the pipeline, accelerating the USACE Charleston District's storm risk reduction mission.
The primary purpose of this renourishment is to build a wider, higher beach and dune system capable of absorbing storm wave energy, which protects oceanfront homes, businesses, roads and utilities from flooding and structural damage. While the wide, sandy beach also offers an inviting shoreline for tourists and the public, coastal protection remains the primary goal.
The Grand Strand Renourishment project has progressed steadily down the coast this year. North Myrtle Beach sand placement finished Jan. 31. In Myrtle Beach, work began in May and sand placement finished July 3. The final reach of the project in Surfside Beach and Garden City is expected to be completed by mid-August.
The Dredge Amelia Island, the newest hopper dredge in the Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Co. fleet, works offshore of Surfside Beach, South Carolina, July 27, 2026, as part of the USACE Charleston District's Grand Strand Renourishment project. Measuring 346 feet in length with a 6,330 cubic yard hopper capacity, the state-of-the-art vessel operates by lowering its dual 800mm suction pipes to vacuum sand into its hopper before pumping up to 5,000 cubic yards of material per hour ashore. The vessel's 16,500 total installed horsepower allows it to pump sand further down the pipelines, accelerating coastal protection efforts along the Grand Strand.
The primary purpose of this renourishment is to build a wider, higher beach and dune system capable of absorbing storm wave energy, which protects oceanfront homes, businesses, roads and utilities from flooding and structural damage. While the wide, sandy beach also offers an inviting shoreline for tourists and the public, coastal protection remains the primary goal.
The Grand Strand Renourishment project has progressed steadily down the coast this year. North Myrtle Beach sand placement finished Jan. 31. In Myrtle Beach, work began in May and sand placement finished July 3. The final reach of the project in Surfside Beach and Garden City is expected to be completed by mid-August.
Operations continue around the clock aboard the Dredge Amelia Island during the Grand Strand Renourishment project in Surfside Beach, South Carolina, July 27, 2026. The advanced 346-foot vessel is kept running efficiently by dedicated crews who work rigorous four-week shifts aboard the dredge followed by two weeks off on land. Boasting 16,500 total installed horsepower, the Amelia Island is built to execute critical coastal development and restoration projects along all U.S. coasts, ensuring high-powered performance as it pumps sand further and faster down the pipeline.
The primary purpose of this renourishment is to build a wider, higher beach and dune system capable of absorbing storm wave energy, which protects oceanfront homes, businesses, roads and utilities from flooding and structural damage. While the wide, sandy beach also offers an inviting shoreline for tourists and the public, coastal protection remains the primary goal.
The Grand Strand Renourishment project has progressed steadily down the coast this year. North Myrtle Beach sand placement finished Jan. 31. In Myrtle Beach, work began in May and sand placement finished July 3. The final reach of the project in Surfside Beach and Garden City is expected to be completed by mid-August.
The Dredge Amelia Island, the newest hopper dredge in the Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Co. fleet, works offshore of Surfside Beach, South Carolina, July 27, 2026, as part of the USACE Charleston District's Grand Strand Renourishment project. Measuring 346 feet in length with a 6,330 cubic yard hopper capacity, the state-of-the-art vessel operates by lowering its dual 800mm suction pipes to vacuum sand into its hopper before pumping up to 5,000 cubic yards of material per hour ashore. The vessel's 16,500 total installed horsepower allows it to pump sand further down the pipelines, accelerating coastal protection efforts along the Grand Strand.
The primary purpose of this renourishment is to build a wider, higher beach and dune system capable of absorbing storm wave energy, which protects oceanfront homes, businesses, roads and utilities from flooding and structural damage. While the wide, sandy beach also offers an inviting shoreline for tourists and the public, coastal protection remains the primary goal.
The Grand Strand Renourishment project has progressed steadily down the coast this year. North Myrtle Beach sand placement finished Jan. 31. In Myrtle Beach, work began in May and sand placement finished July 3. The final reach of the project in Surfside Beach and Garden City is expected to be completed by mid-August.
At A Glance
- Next-Gen Hopper Dredge: Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co.’s newest vessel, the Amelia Island, operates offshore Surfside Beach, SC, as part of USACE Charleston District’s Grand Strand project.
- Vessel Engineering Specs: 346 feet in length, 6,330 cubic yard hopper capacity, dual 800mm suction pipes, and 16,500 total installed horsepower.
- High-Volume Material Delivery: Pumping up to 5,000 cubic yards of beach-compatible sand ashore per hour to build wider dune and shore protection buffers.
- Storm Risk Reduction: Engineered to absorb wave energy and safeguard oceanfront homes, commercial businesses, roads, and utilities against coastal flooding.
- Final Project Reach: Sand placement in Surfside Beach and Garden City represents the final phase, scheduled for completion by mid-August 2026.
Editor’s Note: The following is from the USACE Charleston District, curated by America’s Engineers for commercial contractor and industry visibility. The original report can be found at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Charleston District news repository.
The Dredge Amelia Island, the newest hopper dredge in the Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Co. fleet, works offshore of Surfside Beach, South Carolina, July 27, 2026, as part of the USACE Charleston District’s Grand Strand Renourishment project. Measuring 346 feet in length with a 6,330 cubic yard hopper capacity, the state-of-the-art vessel operates by lowering its dual 800mm suction pipes to vacuum sand into its hopper before pumping up to 5,000 cubic yards of material per hour ashore. The vessel’s 16,500 total installed horsepower allows it to pump sand further down the pipelines, accelerating coastal protection efforts along the Grand Strand.
The primary purpose of this renourishment is to build a wider, higher beach and dune system capable of absorbing storm wave energy, which protects oceanfront homes, businesses, roads and utilities from flooding and structural damage. While the wide, sandy beach also offers an inviting shoreline for tourists and the public, coastal protection remains the primary goal.
We’re so glad you are here! Like what you’re reading? Make America’s Engineers a Google preferred news source.The Grand Strand Renourishment project has progressed steadily down the coast this year. North Myrtle Beach sand placement finished Jan. 31. In Myrtle Beach, work began in May and sand placement finished July 3. The final reach of the project in Surfside Beach and Garden City is expected to be completed by mid-August.
This article was originally published by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under the title, “A Modern Marvel on the Coast: High-Tech Dredge Amelia Island Restores Surfside Beach.” Reposted with permission.
