The south end beach replenishment project in Ocean City, NJ has been at a standstill since Saturday (May 30) due to an engine problem on the hopper dredge that has been pumping new sand onto the beaches since mid-April.
The Liberty Island at port in Norfolk, Va., as it awaits repairs, Army Corps of Engineers spokesman Richard Pearsall said on Monday.
Pearsall said mechanics are still assessing the problem, and he did not know when the dredge is expected to return to Ocean City.
The hopper dredge is a ship that pumps sand into its hold from an offshore borrow area, then travels closer to Ocean City to hook up with a pipeline that feeds the new sand onto the beach.
Crews from Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company have completed work between 37th Street and St. David’s Place (near 47th Street). The current phase of the project started at 55th Street and is moving toward St. David’s.
Work is now stalled at 51st Street, and the equipment for the project has been corralled in a small area at 52nd Street.
