The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has completed its final federal reimbursement to the State of South Carolina for the Charleston Harbor Deepening project, according to an announcement made by U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina). The Corps will include $21.28 million in its fiscal year 2025 Work Plan to reimburse the state.
Senator Graham joined South Carolina Ports Authority President and CEO Barbara Melvin and Lt. Col. Todd Mainwaring, district commander of USACE Charleston District, at an event marking this milestone.
“This is great news for the Port of Charleston and the people of South Carolina. Success doesn’t just happen – you’ve got to roll up your sleeves and stay engaged – and that’s what we did. As a state, federal and local team, we devised a creative solution to ensure that SC Ports had the deepest harbor on the East Coast. The deepening of the Charleston Harbor is about jobs – both today and in the future. It also ensures that the Port remains a multi-billion dollar economic engine that will continue to benefit South Carolina and the rest of the country. Governor McMaster, Senator Leatherman and their colleagues invested state money up front to make sure the harbor deepening project stayed on track. I committed early on to ensure the federal government reimbursed South Carolina for this important investment. With this announcement from the Army Corps of Engineers, we have fulfilled that promise. I am very grateful to the Trump Administration for making this happen,” said Senator Graham.
Graham played a leading role in advancing the harbor deepening project by securing federal funding and authorizations throughout its duration. Early investments from South Carolina allowed construction to proceed more quickly, while Graham continued efforts at the federal level for reimbursement after completion.
A deeper Charleston Harbor is expected to support jobs now and in coming years while strengthening South Carolina’s position in international manufacturing and business investment.
Graham stated, “Equally as important as the reimbursement for South Carolina, I pushed – for more than ten years – for significant federal funding to be directed toward the harbor deepening project. Whether through congressionally directed spending requests or authorizations for federal funding, my attitude toward the harbor deepening project was ‘failure is not an option.’ I couldn’t be more proud of what we were able to accomplish and I am so excited to see the Port continue to grow and cement its status as a premier port on the East Coast.”
The Charleston Harbor Deepening initiative began in 2011 with initial study funds secured by Graham. The state contributed $300 million in 2012, with further milestones including construction starting in 2018, additional appropriations over several years, reaching a depth of 52 feet by 2023—the deepest port on the East Coast—and multiple rounds of congressionally directed spending supporting reimbursement efforts through 2025.
