Media release provided by SC Ports.
CHARLESTON, SC—August 18, 2025—The final federal reimbursement for the Charleston Harbor Deepening Project has been disbursed to the South Carolina Ports Authority, a total of $21.28 million allocated by Congress in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Charleston District’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Work Plan.
This funding milestone concludes the $580 million deepening initiative, completed just a few years after Charleston Harbor became the deepest harbor on the U.S. East Coast at 52 feet.
The project strengthens SC Ports’ competitiveness by allowing the world’s largest container ships to call on the Port of Charleston at any time, removing tidal restrictions, improving efficiency, and attracting new shipping services and business investment.
Senator Lindsey Graham has been a driving force behind this transformational project from its outset in 2011. It was through his advocacy on behalf of the South Carolina delegation, coordination with federal agencies, and navigation of legislative channels that critical federal funds were directed toward this venture, ultimately securing the final reimbursement included in the FY 2025 Work Plan.
“Infrastructure projects like the Harbor Deepening Project are massive undertakings that require collaboration and teamwork with our state and federal leaders,” SCPA President and CEO Barbara Melvin said. “We were able to get this project across the finish line and get reimbursed expeditiously, thanks to Sen. Graham’s leadership and over a decade of tenacious hard work. We are thankful for his support so SC Ports can continue to remain competitive in the thriving Southeast.”
“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,” Senator Graham said.
“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,” Graham said.
Receipt of the final component of federal funding brings to a close a chapter of close coordination among federal, state and local officials. As a federal waterway, the project relied on receipt of federal funding for completion, which required stewardship from the state’s Congressional delegation.
“Completing the largest project in our District’s history, on time and within budget, is a testament to the strength of our partnership with the South Carolina Ports Authority, Senator Graham, and other state and federal leaders,” Lt. Col. Todd Mainwaring, district commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston District said. “Together, we moved over 40 million cubic yards of material to make Charleston Harbor the deepest on the East Coast. This project is more than an engineering milestone; it’s a strategic investment in our Nation’s infrastructure and economic future.”
The harbor deepening was funded through a partnership of state and federal resources.
