SCPA suspends Jasper Terminal funding

“The proposed Savannah River deepening was probably fine when first conceived in 1999 but today’s global shipping environment requires more,” said Bill Stern, chairman of the SCPA. He noted that a 15 metre (50 feet) deep channel has emerged as the minimum standard for the post-Panamax world in other East Coast ports but the Savannah River would fall short even after deepening.

For some time Stern and others have warned that the proposed Savannah River deepening project could severely delay or even kill the prospects for a terminal in Jasper.

“It’s a bad deal for the taxpayer to spend billions of dollars for a new Jasper Ocean Terminal on a last generation river,” said Stern. “That means another deepening project, beyond the one currently being reviewed, would be required.” The Board concluded that it is not feasible to build a multi-billion-dollar terminal under current and proposed conditions.