Approximately $30 million project includes new boat ramp, piers, bulkhead, and tide gates for flood prevention at Maryland’s largest state-owned marina
Crews began work at Somers Cove Marina in Crisfield in early September. Maryland Department of Natural Resources photo
The Maryland Departments of Natural Resources, in partnership with the Maryland Department of General Services and Maryland Department of Transportation, has begun work on long-planned, major upgrades to Somers Cove Marina in Crisfield.
Known as the “Gateway to the Chesapeake” for boaters throughout the eastern seaboard, Somers Cove is the state’s largest public marina. The $30 million project will provide enhanced service for Chesapeake Bay boaters as well as economic and flood prevention benefits for the community of Crisfield. The work is part of the Moore-Miller Administration’s efforts to invest in communities all across Maryland to improve their economic prospects and residents’ quality of life.
“Somers Cove has an outsized importance for Maryland,” said Maryland DNR Secretary Josh Kurtz. “As Maryland’s largest publicly owned marina and the gateway to the Chesapeake Bay, these vital investments to Somers Cove will benefit boaters and the boating economy across the region.”
“DGS is proud to assist our neighbors in all corners of the state. If you are a Marylander and we have a chance to help, we’re never going to shy away from that opportunity,” said DGS Secretary Atif Chaudhry. “A Marina of this size and importance needs infrastructure that can meet the demands of both today and tomorrow which is exactly what this project sets out to do. This project is not only about making the marina better for boaters. It is about making the surrounding community more resilient and preparing Crisfield for the challenges of tomorrow.”
Somers Cove is a key economic driver for Crisfield and the entire lower Eastern Shore, and plays a major role in Maryland’s $4.2 billion recreational boating industry and its $600 million commercial fishing industry.
Somers Cove Marina was built by the City of Crisfield in 1958 and has been owned by the Department of Natural Resources since 1980. The 30-plus acre facility offers 515 slips that can accommodate boats up to 150 feet as well as some of the least expensive transient, annual, and semiannual slip rates on the Eastern Shore. Each year, the marina welcomes more than 5,000 boaters, including 5,288 in 2025.
The M/V Eddie Somers docked at Somers Cove Marina in 2022. Maryland DNR photo
The marina serves as the eastern hub for Smith and Tangier Islands with daily tour boats and ferry service providing vital economic and cultural connections to the Chesapeake Bay islands and their communities, which date back to the late 1600s. Somers Cove is also the home port for DNR’s icebreaker and buoy tender, the M/V Eddie Somers, which can be a literal lifeline to the islands during freezing winters.
This major rehabilitation project includes replacing the marina’s boat ramp, eight of the marina’s 15 piers with floating pier systems, and 2,000 feet of new bulkhead.
The work will also include improved stormwater management, Critical Area mitigation, landscaping, and invasive species eradication.
Additionally, the project addresses the longstanding issue of flooding in the area around the marina in Crisfield. DNR is constructing five tide gates within a new storm drain system to prevent tidal flooding at Somers Cove and on neighboring properties, including two tide gates intended for the Town of Crisfield’s future development.
“The City of Crisfield is extremely grateful for this major investment in both the economic vitality and resilient infrastructure of our community,” said Crisfield Mayor Darlene Taylor. “The marina is a staple in Crisfield and a key component of our flood mitigation strategy. It serves as an economic driver and a conduit for the major flooding that continues to plague our city. These planned infrastructure upgrades will make a significant difference in the everyday lives of our citizens by reducing the duration and intensity of flooding in many areas of our community. This is truly a big deal for Crisfield. On behalf of our citizens, we thank the Moore-Miller Administration, the DNR, and all who worked to make these major, much-needed upgrades a reality.”
More than 5,000 boaters use Somers Cove Marina each year. Maryland DNR photo.
Other work includes replacing upland utilities systems, including storm drains, sewer, water and electric infrastructure, installing a new emergency generator, replacing the marina’s electric and water systems on its piers, resurfacing parking lots across the marina, and improving ADA access with new sidewalks and access to multiple piers and slips.
The project is funded primarily with $15.82 million in Waterway Improvement grants, which are collected from an approximately 5 percent excise tax on boat sales. The grants are designed to improve the conditions and safety of Maryland waterways for the benefit of the general boating public. Additional funding for the marina updates includes $8.73 million in General Obligation Bonds; and $5.95 million in Maryland Department of Transportation funding.
The marina is an important community center for Crisfield with its location just steps from Crisfield’s Main Street. Each year, the marina hosts the J. Millard Tawes Crab and Clam Bake that attracts hundreds of locals as well as political officials from across the state. Somers Cove is also the home of the National Hard Crab Derby, which includes crab races, crab picking and boat docking contests, as well as live entertainment on Labor Day weekend. Businesses that surround the marina include the Smith Island Baking Company, Rodeway Inn, H. Glenwood Evans & Sons seafood market, and several seafood processing facilities and restaurants.
Dvorak LLC of Baltimore was hired as general contractor for the project, which is anticipated to be completed in 18-24 months.
