The port at New London will receive $3.4 million in federal and state money to accommodate larger vessels through dredging of its channels and docks, opening Connecticut to a larger portion of the shipping trade.
On Friday, the Connecticut State Bond Commission is expected to approve $2 million to dredge the floating drydock, turning basin and channel to accommodate deeper vessels. That comes on top of the $1.45 million the New London port received in April from the U.S. Maritime Administration to widen and lengthen the drydock.
New London is Connecticut’s easternmost deepwater port and traditionally has been underdeveloped and underused. The port has had private improvements totaling $8.75 million in recent years as part of efforts to make it a greater player in the shipping industry.
Connecticut’s other two deepwater ports, New Haven and Bridgeport, are far busier than New London, but a lack of dredging has left them unable to handle the larger container ships coming through Long Island Sound. They rely on processing raw materials on and off tankers; nearly 80 percent of the cargo is petroleum.
This has left Connecticut’s ports at a serious disadvantage when handling cargo and promoting trade in the state.
New England’s busiest port – Boston – handles more cargo than all Connecticut’s deep and shallow water ports combined. The busiest port in the Northeast -New York/New Jersey – handles 10 times all of Connecticut’s ports combined.
“We made great strides at increasing commerce with the creation of the Connecticut Airport Authority earlier this year. Now we can turn our attention to the state’s seaports in New London, New Haven and Bridgeport to further stimulate economic growth and job creation all across Connecticut,” said State Sen. Andrew Maynard, D-Stonington, in a statement preceding the State Bond Commission meeting.
The Bond Commission also is expected to approve $1 million to finance a study of economic development at Connecticut’s ports.
