Unique Wharf Upgrade to Diversify Operations for Larger RO/RO Shipments and New Containerized Cargo

This paper will focus on planning/design of the overall Port of Everett Seaport Modernization Program, providing a case study of challenges associated with transforming from a breakbulk-only facility to diversify operations by retrofitting the wharf to accommodate new container cranes. This need to diversify/upgrade is an issue common to many ports or terminals, as the marine shipping industry as a whole continues to change rapidly with the trend toward larger vessels. This paper will focus on the largest project in the overall program, the South Terminal Wharf Upgrade, which is a unique combination of deck capacity increase and crane rail addition to accommodate both expanded heavy roll-on/roll-off (RO/RO) and containerized cargo operations. The complexity was not from any one individual project element, but from combining these elements together into a single project while also addressing environmental constraints, project phasing, and funding requirements associated with multiple grants/loans.