New York / New Jersey Harbor Navigation Project: An Overview

This paper provides an overview of the New York/New Jersey Harbor Navigation project and serves as a guide to four additional papers on the same project. The companion papers deal with specific issues, namely: (1) navigation planning aspects, (2) marine terminal planning aspects, (3) environmental aspects and (4) hydrodynamic/water quality modeling efforts. The project examined the feasibility of deepening the channels that serve the Port of New York and New Jersey. The port is the third largest container port in the U.S., one of the largest petroleum ports in the U.S. and serves 17 million consumers in the States of New York and New Jersey in addition to the larger 31-state hinterland. The deepest channels serving container terminals are currently authorized for deepening to 45 feet mean low water (MLW). This paper outlines the principle issues and study elements associated with deepening the harbor beyond 45 feet MLW.