The city of Key West may get permission from the federal government to widen its ship channel with extensive dredging, but such a project likely would not begin until 2017.

City Manager Jim Scholl on Thursday met with representatives from the Army Corps of Engineers, which oversees all permitting processes for such projects.

"The fundamental navigation problem we have right now is that the width of our channel [in one section] is only 300 feet wide," Scholl said, adding that the harbor pilots who guide large ships into Key West Harbor have asked that the narrow section be dredged and widened to 450 feet.

"That would make it possible for longer ships to navigate in and out of the harbor," Scholl said. "The impetus for this is the safe navigation of the growing fleet of cruise ships."

Larger cruise ships are coming into use given the impending widening of the Panama Canal, the width of which historically has been the limiting factor for shipwrights.

The local harbor currently can safely handle a ship that is slightly less than 1,000 feet long, Scholl said.

Royal Caribbean this week launched Oasis of the Seas, which is 1,200 feet long and holds 5,400 passengers.

Scholl's meeting with the corps was the first step in a very lengthy process that could start with an initial reconnaissance study that would determine whether a subsequent -- and tedious -- feasibility study would be completed.

"We have to determine whether it would be appropriate to expend a significant amount of taxpayer money on this project," Scholl said.

The corps examines four areas of concern in making its decision: navigational, economic, environmental and disposal.

If approved, the feasibility study could take until 2017, Scholl said. It includes comprehensive analysis of weather conditions, navigational needs and other factors.

"These projects take time, but every journey begins with the first step," Scholl said. "We may need to widen this area of the channel, so we have to start somewhere."

He added the project likely would include cost-sharing among the federal, state and local governments.

mbolen@keysnews.com