He bristles at questions about the economic justifications for the project, arguing thousands of jobs could be lost if shippers decide to use other ports where the Army Corps is also deepening channels. I don't need any more studies to figure that out. We have an analysis of what every other port is doing. I've talked to shippers and companies, and they want a deeper channel. John Martin, a Lancaster, Pa.-based shipping consultant, agreed a deeper channel is a necessity.
Economic analyses are a moot point.
Martin, however, did not perform any studies regarding the impact of deepening the Delaware. Although deep-draft cargo ships are still a small part of Atlantic trade, major shippers want ports that can accommodate their entire fleets, he said. But Theodore Prince, an independent shipping consultant based in Richmond, Va., called the project a boondoggle. He said shippers with big cargo vessels, such as Maersk Sealand, have already signed long-term contracts with New York and Norfolk. The owners of the bigger cargo ships don't want to risk accidents during long journeys up river channels, Prince said.