Dredging Leaders Warn of Delays and Backlogs Despite Long-Term Demand

WorkBoat Show panel cites budget gridlock, permitting politics, and outdated environmental rules

At this year’s International WorkBoat Show, industry leaders said the U.S. dredging market remains strong in the long term but continues to be disrupted by federal budget uncertainty and expanding permitting hurdles.

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock senior vice president David Johanson said the 2023 “surge” of nearly $2.8 billion in work has dropped to about $1.7 billion this year, citing continuing resolutions and the absence of a federal budget as recurring barriers to project delivery.

Curtin Maritime CEO Martin Curtin said permitting delays are now appearing nationwide. “We’re starting to see California-style permitting politics in other states,” he said, though the industry’s role in keeping U.S. ports open ensures its long-term necessity.

DCA CEO Bill Doyle briefed attendees on the Senate FY26 Energy and Water proposal and efforts to unlock Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund surpluses. Johanson called the growing backlog of coastal restoration projects “shameful,” noting 30 are now pushed into 2026.

Looking ahead to WRDA 2026, Doyle said outdated environmental windows that limit East Coast dredging to a few months per year are a top target for reform, while Johanson noted Great Lakes’ work with ERDC aims to update assumptions and reduce unnecessary restrictions.