Multidisciplinary Grant-Funded Barge Dock Expansion Within a Busy Operating Public Oil Terminal

Abstract: The Port of Corpus Christi Authority (POCCA) is USA’s largest revenue tonnage and crude oil export port. To maintain its strategic position, planned maintenance and/or regular upgrades of infrastructure of its existing operating terminals is an important consideration for the Port and associated stakeholders. To achieve this, the Port embarked upon redeveloping the Port’s most productive, busy, and operating public oil terminal at Avery Point. The terminal consists of three ship docks and one fit-for-purpose two-berth barge dock located along the southern coastline of the Inner Harbor Navigation Channel. The Port concluded that doubling the capacity of the approximately 30-year-old barge dock from two berths to four berths as the first phase of redevelopment is the most prudent. Expanding the barge dock first creates additional capacity at the three ship docks which would allow the Port to redevelop each ship dock one at a time in the future. The execution of the barge dock expansion, which is the subject of this paper, was grant funded via the USDOT MARAD PIDP program.
Expansion of the barge dock involved creating a new waterside slip and a compact-sized land development to the south of the existing terminal, adjoining both the Port’s property limits as well as a wetland. The multidisciplinary scope for the barge dock expansion includes waterside elements like dredging/excavation, installation of tied-back sheetpile bulkheads and multi-pile berthing and monopile mooring dolphins that allowed navigation of the barges, demolition of existing structures, and upgrades/repairs of existing marine infrastructure. Landside project scope elements include construction of an auger-cast pile-supported reinforced concrete containment platform to support future product handling marine loading arms and hose pipes, drainage and utility features, a new dock house, fire suppression system, lighting system design, and vehicular traffic access to the expanded dock. The design team and the Port worked closely to optimize bulkhead lengths and dredge volumes that addressed both environmental and operational considerations. The optimization allowed the Port to carry out additional upgrades to the existing oil dock infrastructure without requiring any additional government funding. Construction of the initially scoped elements is anticipated to be completed in 2024.

How does this project / topic contribute to the advancement of the industry and profession?: The project is a perfect example of how federal funding can be used optimally to carry out infrastructure upgrades of existing oil terminals to improve its efficiency. This is an important project for stakeholders looking to put forth a business case to obtain funds.

Does the project / topic implement new and innovative techniques, materials, technologies, and delivery methods?: The project adopts a phase-wise implementation of planned upgrades including a customized berthing/mooring and navigation system for the unique barges handling different oil/fuel products.

What was the most challenging aspect of your project / topic and how did you handle it to ensure success?: The most challenging aspect of the project was the truly multidisciplinary nature of the scope and the “compact operational” space within which the project had to be executed. This was addressed via constant coordination with the stakeholders and optimized design of schedule critical items such as bulkhead installation and dredging.

Who is the target audience for this paper?: The target audience is public port authorities, oil/liquid bulk terminal operators, dredgers, upland and marine contractors, and marine engineers.