Now only smaller ocean traffic can make it through the Hooghly to Calcutta, beyond which the silting prevents all deep-draft vessels.

Gardiner was noted for its pristine Kennebec ice, harvested at the furthest point upriver that deep-draft vessels could reach.

Traditional naval artillery is mounted on deep-draft vessels unsuited for operations in shallow rivers.

However, Portland's location at the Willamette's confluence with the Columbia River, accessible to deep-draft vessels, gave it a key advantage over its older peer.

Each bedroom had a floor-to-ceiling wall of glass looking westward - toward the waterfront for deep-draft vessels dredged in the delta three kilometers away.

Completion in 1950 of the Vridi Canal, which enables deep-draft vessels to enter the harbor of Abidjan, contributed greatly to the city's growth.

"But our chief concern is for the deep-draft vessel, for the interests of the shipping and transportation industries," he said.

The number of active deep-draft vessels flying the American flag has fallen to 379, from 770 in 1970.

Strong tidal conditions prevail in this vicinity, and deep-draft outbound vessels making the sharp turn may be unavoidably set well over to the eastern shore.

When necessary to accommodate deep-draft vessels, the barrier is flooded and sinks to the bottom of the chamber.