PortMiami hires Piedroba Consulting Group as a technical dredging consultant for the Port of Miami Deep Dredge Project.

Piedroba Consulting Group, a company based in Miami, Florida, announced today it has been contracted by the Miami-Dade County Seaport (PortMiami) to perform professional services on Port of Miami Deep Dredge Project. It will be Piedroba’s responsibility to provide strategic, contract administrative, and technical opinions. The deep dredge project includes the restoration of more than 16 acres of sea grass in northern Biscayne Bay and the creation of over nine acres of artificial reef.
“PortMiami is pleased to have the Piedroba Consulting Group as part of the team for our Deep Dredge Project,” said PortMiami Director Bill Johnson.  “The deepening of the Port’s channel is a critical element in growing our container cargo business.  We are committed to a timeline that will ensure completion of the project in mid-2015, in tandem with the opening of the expanded Panama Canal.”
The current project will turn PortMiami into the only U.S. East Coast Port south of Virginia to be at the authorized minus 50 feet level in anticipation of the new generation of larger container cargo vessels arriving via the Panama Canal. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced the award of a $122 million contract for the first part of the project earlier this spring, and dredging is expected to begin later this year.
Piedroba’s CEO and Chairman, Dr. Luis Prieto-Portar, PhD, PE, is excited about the new opportunity: “PortMiami is a world class port, and we look forward to partnering with them on this high profile project. We also welcome the opportunity to partner again with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, with whom we have a history of sharing our dredging expertise through our joint educational services provided under the Dredging Fundamentals Course.  Many with whom we will be working have gone through our classes.”
Jelle Prins, one of Piedroba’s partners added: “The Deep Dredge Project is a special project funded in a unique way, and with all the partners we look to maximize the public investment made. We are committed to optimizing project delivery, ensuring this state of the art project will keep PortMiami ahead of the game.”
About PortMiami:
The Port of Miami is one of the busiest ports in the United States, and one of the most significant economic generators for South Florida. Through its cargo and cruise activities, the Port has determined that it contributes over $18 billion annually to the South Florida economy and helps provide direct and indirect employment for over 176,000 individuals. 

---