Houston Ship Channel Expansion – Project 11

Houston, Texas

In 2022, Port Houston awarded Kiewit subsidiary Weeks Marine, Inc. Project 11 — the largest-ever U.S. dredging contract. The project involves widening 8.3 miles of the Houston and 4 miles of the Bayport ship channels using Weeks’ 30-inch hydraulic cutter dredge, the C.R. McCaskill, in one of the nation’s busiest waterways.

Weeks is using the dredging material to construct 3 Bird Island, a marsh habitat in Trinity Bay. When complete, the 3 Bird Island will create 6 acres of new bird habitat, 5.4 acres of oyster reef and 11,550 linear feet of armored dikes connecting each of the three points on of the island.

The completion of this project enhances Port Houston’s capacity to handle more cargo and larger ships and contributes to the conservation and restoration of local wildlife habitats.