The Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point (MOTSU) is in Brunswick County, North Carolina, on the west bank of the Cape Fear River approximately 10 miles upstream from the river's mouth. Port facilities include three wharves approximately 2,500 feet long and three interconnected basins 800 feet wide and varying from 2,800 to 4,100 feet long. Project depth is 38 feet mean lower low water (MLLW) plus 2 feet of overdepth for all navigation facilities. The north basin has not been dredged regularly, but is maintained along with the other basins when required to meet navigational needs. The two maintained entrance channels (the south and center entrance channels) connect the MOTSU facilities to the Wilmington Harbor Federal Navigation Channel. A principal factor in MOTSU’s ability to accomplish its mission of support to the U.S. Armed Forces is maintenance of the basins, access channels, and berthing areas to allow uninterrupted transport of military goods. Approximately 1 million cubic yards of sediment must be removed from MOTSU on an annual basis to maintain navigable conditions.
USACE contracted ANAMAR to collect sediment samples and conduct physical and chemical evaluations of the dredge material as a confirmatory effort to demonstrate that the dredge material is consistent with previous Tier II and Tier III results. The objective was to determine the suitability of the sediment for ocean disposal in the Wilmington ODMDS as required under the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 (MPRSA).
Based on the average expected annual dredging volumes, the project area was divided into three dredging units. ANAMAR coordinated and directed operations for this project and worked closely with USACE to design sampling and analysis schemes, perform sample collection, subcontract laboratory analyses, and prepare final report deliverables. ANAMAR reviewed all data and produced a report summarizing the results of the physical and chemical analysis of sediment samples of the proposed dredge material collected from the project area.