BAYONNE – Officials from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and lawmakers came together for a ceremony celebrating the completion of the $2.1 billion Main Navigation Channel Deepening Program, which started in 2004 and deepened the harbor by 50 feet to allow for larger container ships to access the terminals at Port Newark, GCT Bayonne, and the Howland Hook Marine Terminal.
Mayor James Davis was one of the first to speak. “On my part, and on behalf of my City, I am proud to say that because of projects like this Bayonne remains a gateway for commerce at the Port of New York and New Jersey, one of the most productive port operations in the world,” Mayor Davis said. “Today should serve as a reminder to all of us that we should always push the limits of what we believe can be accomplished. It is not to say that there won’t be challenges along the way, but it is important that we press onward for the greater good.”
Councilman-at-large Juan Perez was also in attendance. He said, “This is fantastic for the economy in Bayonne. This is going to stimulate jobs. It’s great. Everything is positive.”
Also touting the port’s economic prowess, Jake Broder-Fingert, Senior Policy Advisor on the White House Economic Council said, “This is an incredibly important day for the country and our economy more broadly.” He touted the country’s slow, but steady economic progress since the 2008 financial crisis, citing a 47 percent increase in exports since 2010 and “roughly 12 million jobs” being supported by that economic activity. “It’s evidence as you look at the export numbers that the rest of the world wants what we make here in America…and the deepened port and bigger ships will allow us to do more exporting and allow our country to continue to grow.”
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