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Large or small dredging projects have been going on around the globe since Noah.

Historically, projects such as the proposed dredging of the Delaware River from 40 to 45 feet have been viewed as necessary waterway maintenance, so bureaucrats quietly went about rubberstamping them and putting away money to get the job done.

Unlike highway construction, the dredging process is not visible which means the public rarely sees a dredger suck sand from the bottom of a river or bay and pipe it to a designated dredge site.

What it does see is the price tag. And as dredging costs in urban areas skyrocket--largely driven by soaring rates to move, decontaminate or store dredge materials--taxpayers are questioning whether it is economically prudent to dredge every river that wants to be a major port.

As a fiercely competitive, time-sensitive and labor-intensive arena, the maritime industry is losing patience with the debate. Ordinary people are now weighing in on what used to be an internal matter. At the same time the industry lost its major source of funding last year with repeal of the Harbor Maintenance Tax.

Congress is debating whether to replace the decade-old tax with a user fee on shippers, or use tax dollars. Commercial shippers say they should not have to pay for services that benefit the whole economy.

Consensus among port insiders at a recent conference on dredging in East Brunswick was two-pronged: A regular source of money must be created to pay for dredging, and the maritime industry must learn to promote itself and educate consumers, who are increasingly dependent on imports.

That BMW in the driveway and the Brazilian leather shoes in the closet wouldn't be there without ships. You can't fax lumber or e-mail a case of Guinness.

"If you get a raincheck at a supermarket, a Kmart or similar place for an advertised special that the store ran out of, you're feeling the inconvenience of a break in the supply chain somewhere along the route which could have started in Malaysia," says Al Giunchi, logistics director for Hartz Mountain Corp., a leading manufacturer of pet products.

Joan Verplanck, president of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce, says occasional rallies by the business community in support of individual projects are no longer enough.

"We need strong, continuous pressure to keep the issue of regular funding for dredging on the radar screen," she says. "We can't afford to do this anymore in peaks and valleys."

Charles Wowkanech, president of the million-member New Jersey State AFL-CIO, the largest labor organization in the state, says New Jersey ports have been a prime generator of jobs since the turn of the century.

"Without dredging, the jobs will be gone," he says. "Then the pain will begin."

As populations grow, ship traffic is expected to double within the next decade. Shipping companies are determined to move more cargo in larger ships to control transportation costs, hence the need for deeper water. And hence a short version of the tail-wagging-the-dog scenario that has always driven the industry.
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