Pier J, Berths 245–247, Landside Rail Girder Upgrade Project

Vessels are getting larger in size and volume capacity to streamline the transport of goods. Current vessel sizes calling at the Port of Long Beach (POLB) have increased up to 18,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent unit) and are continuing to increase in size. The aging wharf structure at Pier J, Berths 245–247, needed an upgrade to the structural capacity of the landside crane rail for the newer and taller ship-to-shore (STS) cranes to accommodate these larger vessels. The upgrade had to avoid disruption to the operator, who services approximately 2,000,000 TEUs per year. This paper presents the evaluations/analyses required and the design alternatives considered for the upgrade at Pier J. In addition, design/construction lessons learned and highlights of some of the innovative features that resulted in significant savings for construction costs and schedules are discussed.