BergerWorld: 3rd Quarter 2007

The original Maersk/Sea-Land Wharf, located at the Port of Tacoma in Washington, was designed by Berger/ABAM (B/A) in the mid-1980s. The terminal is one of the premier port facilities in the region, handling a substantial portion of Tacoma's containerized cargo. To meet the continued growth and accommodate larger Post-Panamax vessels at the wharf, the port undertook an ambitious expansion project, with B/A providing design and construction support services.

A key parameter was to minimize the impact on existing operations during the construction of a 600-foot wharf extension. B/A's in-depth understanding of construction and shipping industry practices enabled them to meet that requirement through careful phasing, access control and planning for contractor lay-down areas.

Concrete pile-supported framing, anchored at the shore by a specially designed "ductile" steel pipe pile system, was selected to satisfy the demanding design criteria. B/A experts then designed the wharf to support loads of up to 40 kips (kilopounds) per foot along the crane trackage and to resist high seismic lateral loads. Haunched deck panels spanning pile caps were placed 25 feet apart and topped by asphalt paving to provide a durable working surface and effective drainage area. To provide power supply to the cranes through a bus bar system, the existing continuous power trench was extended. Finally, 100-ton bollards were provided along the wharf at frequent intervals and two 350-kip mooring dolphins, designed to hold vessels in place, were provided at the north end of the terminal.

The completed wharf extension provided the necessary additional berth length to accommodate the projected growth at the port. Following construction, the marine terminal facilities will consist of 2,200 lineal feet of marginal wharf (two berths); six ship-to-shore, Post-Panamax gantry cranes; a 125-acre container yard; and administration and maintenance facilities.

Port of Tacoma

The Port of Tacoma is a leading North American seaport, serving as a major gateway to Asia and Alaska. Located on Commencement Bay in Southern Puget Sound, the 2,400-acre port handled more than $35.6 billion in trade and 2.1 million TEUs in 2006. With the anticipated growth in the container cargo shipping industry, two port tenants, Evergreen Shipping and ITS Husky, sought to relocate to larger terminals at the port.

The Port of Tacoma selected B/A to develop phased plans for upgrading Terminal 3/4 following the relocation of Evergreen Shipping from Terminal 3/4 and prior to ITS Husky's move from Terminal 7 to Terminal 3/4. The rapid schedule for upgrading Terminal 3/4 was critical so that Terminal 7 could be upgraded prior to the arrival of Yang-Ming, the port's new tenant. The work was divided into two phases. The first included refurbishing and reconfiguring a 74-acre container yard and constructing a new marine operations building, out-gate, maintenance bay and security fencing at Terminal 3/4. The second phase included the construction of a 19-acre storage yard on a recycled dredge spoil disposal site and the 250-foot extension of the wharf at Terminal 3/4. B/A provided the designs for the facility modifications and construction support for all components of the $20 million project. The Team also developed bid documents and provided detailed information to assist the port in preparing the lease agreement between the port and ITS Husky.

U.S. Coast Guard Pier 36 Berth Alpha

The United States Coast Guard's (USCG) Pier 36 Berth Alpha is located at the Integrated Support Command in Seattle, Washington. The facility was originally constructed in the 1920s as a timber-decked structure that required costly maintenance. The facility, which moors a varying mix of vessels, often becomes congested, restricting vessel movements and mooring flexibility. The USCG commissioned B/A to provide design services for the $13 million replacement of the original timber structure and dredging to widen and deepen the slip basin and expand the Berth Alpha area.

B/A first conducted a number of field surveys, studies and comparative cost analyses for incorporation into a formal report submitted for USCG approval. The Team then provided final designs for the new pier and upland utilities. In order to minimize impacts on USCG operations, the B/A team devoted careful attention to the sequencing of demolition, the removal of the existing structure, and dredging and disposal procedures. A key component of the design included the installation of a 29-foot underwater sheet pile wall that allowed dredging activities to take place on the waterside face of the wall. The dredging would then allow the boat basin to be widened by 50 feet, offering substantially improved flexibility in accommodating the transit of vessels. B/A designers also developed a new low-maintenance, environmentally friendly concrete structure approximately 46 feet wide and over 470 feet long. The cost-effective design included precast concrete members, which have a proven record of low life-cycle costs in the harsh Puget Sound marine environment. In addition, careful attention was given to the detailing of reinforcing steel to further ensure high durability. The deck support scheme and pile arrangement for the irregular-shaped pier were optimized to minimize the number of required piles. Over 1,200 treated timber piles, along with a 100-foot-wide treated timber pier, were removed for the new pier. The switch from timber to high-capacity concrete piles resulted in a reduction in the number of piles by a ratio of 7-to-1, increasing available light under the pier. Debris removal and placement of smaller rock on the slope also improved marine-life habitat. Finally, B/A staff provided daily on-site construction support, including inspection of the underwater wall installation, concrete piles and deck system construction and installation of a unique fender system involving recessed concrete panels and floating foam-filled cushions.

U.S. Navy's Pier D Replacement

On September 16, 1891, Lieutenant Ambrose Wyckoff purchased 190 acres of Pacific Northwest wilderness for less than $10,000 and established the first U.S. Naval Station in Bremerton, Washington. The station has served as an essential naval facility ever since. A number of vessels were constructed at the site during World War I; hundreds of U.S. and Allied ships, including all five surviving battleships from the attack on Pearl Harbor, were repaired there during World War II; and innovative procedures to convert aircraft carrier conventional flight decks to angle decks were undertaken at the facility as the Navy entered the era of jet powered aircraft. Currently, the Naval Station serves as the host command for the Navy's fleet throughout West Puget Sound and provides base operating services for surface ships and submarines.

The design-build team of B/A and the General Construction Company recently completed the U.S. Navy's Pier D Replacement Project at the Naval Station. The $53 million project included the demolition of an existing pier and the design and construction of a new state-of-the-art 400-meter-long by 46-meter-wide pier, as well as facilities to support the home-porting of a Carl Vinson-class aircraft carrier and an AOE auxiliary oiler/ammunition ship. The new pier is equipped with a precast deck with a cast-in-place reinforced concrete topping slab, supported on a combination of 24-inch solid octagonal prestressed piles and 36-inch steel pipe piles. B/A also coordinated with the project's mechanical, electrical and architectural designers, as well as the local power utility, to integrate all facets of upland work, including constructing a new substation to serve Pier D and the adjacent West Yard; upgrading the underground electrical utilities distribution system; rerouting the existing 12-kilovolt feeder network; removing four damaged substations; and retrofitting three additional substations. B/A also provided designs and construction management for a new fleet recreation center. The Team's services resulted in the completion of the construction on schedule and under budget by tailoring the design to maximize the use of precast concrete elements, enabling the contractor to shorten the construction schedule by fabricating deck panels, piles and utility trench units and utility trench covers off site.

Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility

The Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility is the primary repair center for Washington State Ferries' (WSF) 28 vessels, as well as headquarters for maintenance personnel. The facility consists of piers and tie-up slips; a maintenance building; and lay-down, storage and parking areas. Major portions of the piers and the maintenance building were constructed with timber in the 1940s, while additional concrete pier structures were constructed in the 1960s. B/A was retained by WSF to provide planning, design and construction support for the Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility Improvement Project to meet WSF needs for the next 30 to 50 years.

B/A first evaluated the facility's existing structures; conducted thorough above- and below-water inspections; and completed a seismic vulnerability study. The Team then recommended necessary repairs and upgrades and assisted WSF with construction phasing and developing cost estimates for the proposed improvements, including new warehouse and maintenance buildings and piers. Repairs were prioritized based on the facility's immediate and long-term needs. To address an immediate concern of WSF, B/A designed a new drive-on maintenance slip, which included a hydraulically actuated transfer span, concrete approach trestle, wingwalls, dolphins and associated utilities. The new transfer span was designed as a prototype to replace 20 existing spans at other WSF ferry terminals throughout Puget Sound. The span provides a simplified operational interface, improved visibility for vessels during approaches, and lower capital and maintenance costs. The new ramp consists of a torsionally rigid, multiple steel box system, with an orthotropic steel deck that can withstand the loss of one support under live load without failing.

Port of Everett

The Port of Everett, located on Port Gardner Bay in Washington State, has been thriving for nearly 90 years. The port owns and operates three shipping terminals, a marina, and industrial and commercial properties, playing a central role in the area's economy. The rail/barge transfer facility at Everett's Mukilteo Tank Farm enhances the port's marine terminal operations by facilitating the efficient transfer of large containers to nearby plants, including a major assembly facility for the Boeing Commercial Airplane Company at Paine Field Airport. However, the port's existing infrastructure has become insufficient to handle the 35-feet-wide, 35-feet-high, 140-feet-long containers destined for the plant.

B/A was commissioned by the Port of Everett to develop a new facility to accommodate and facilitate the efficient transshipment of large cargo to reach Boeing's assembly plant. B/A provided services for the planning, permitting,

public involvement, design and construction management of the facility, as well as overall project management and coordination. The Team's tasks included site planning; evaluation of alternatives; structural and civil design; and detailed cost estimates. B/A also prepared graphic visualizations and project and construction schedules. The Team then prepared a State Environmental Policy Act Environmental Impact Statement, which included coastal restoration/mitigation recommendations. Finally, permit applications for the facility were prepared and stakeholder communications programs and public involvement meetings were organized. The port's public involvement program was cited as a key component for its selection as the Washington Public Port Association's 2004 Port of the Year Award. The satellite/rail barge facility was also awarded the American Association of Port Authorities 2007 Environmental Improvement Award in the mitigation category.