The Norfolk District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has awarded a contract to dredge the James River navigation channel.

Cottrell Contracting Corporation was awarded a three-year, $12 million indefinite delivery/indefinite quality contract to remove shoals from the channel, which is used by large vessels making port calls in Richmond and Hopewell.

“The project consists of maintenance dredging and disposal of dredged material by hydraulic dredge and pipeline at various shoal locations on the James River Federal Navigation Channel,” said Walt Trinkala, Norfolk District Project manager.

The project extends from the mouth of the James River in Hampton Roads to Richmond, covering a distance of 90.8 miles.

The channel is maintained to 25 feet deep by 300 feet wide from the mouth to Hopewell and 25 feet deep by 200 feet wide from the Richmond Deepwater Terminal to the Richmond Lock.