Port Ship Services Dock & Port Facilities
BKI was contracted by Port Ship Services, Inc. to plan and design a new wharf on the Mississippi River and obtain necessary construction permits.
The new facility was to operate “24 hours per day, 365 days per year,” unaffected by river flood stages. BKI worked closely with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to expedite levee design changes to accommodate a new opening in the floodwall. The firm obtained Corps of Engineers and Levee Board permits in time to allow construction during low river levels.
BKI designed a jacketed, pile-supported, structural steel platform with a precast concrete panel deck that enhanced the stability of the levee and was within the client’s budget. The design of the walls of the ramp leading to the dock from the crown of the levee serve as extensions of the floodwalls, allowing the dock to be used even during flood stages and maintaining vehicular access along the levee crown.
Business operations at the existing dock were not interrupted during levee work and the transition to the new facility was accomplished without any inconvenience to Port Ship Services, Inc.’s clients and employees.
The total construction cost was approximately $1.1 million.
Port of Shreveport-Bossier Ternium Docking Facility
BKI was contracted by the Port of Shreveport-Bossier to provide plans and specifications for the Ternium Docking Facility located in the Slack-Water Harbor along the Red River in Caddo Parish, LA.
The docking facility consisted of a nominal 400 foot by 100 foot, pile-supported concrete dock equipped with a 60-ton capacity traveling cargo crane. The crane handled the loading and unloading of various cargos to and from barges, rail, and truck. The primary cargo was expected to be 25-ton steel coils with a potential to ultimately handle 55-ton steel coils.
The facility incorporated an access road for cargo transport along with an at-grade rail line service on the dock. The project provided the first significant improvement in the Harbor.
St. Bernard Port, Harbor & Terminal District Chalmette Terminal In-Stream Mooring & Barge Fleeting
BKI was contracted by the St. Bernard Port, Harbor and Terminal District to prepare preliminary and final plans and specifications for an in stream mooring system for ships consisting of five mooring buoys and 16 fixed dolphins for barge fleeting.
The project was planned to provide for barge to ship and ship to barge transfer of grain and other bulk materials in the Mississippi River with an in stream mooring buoy system for international cargo ships to be loaded or off loaded to river barges traveling the Mississippi River.
A barge fleeting system consisting of fixed tripod dolphins along the river bank was designed to hold up to 40 barges adjacent to the transfer operation in the river.
The project included all permits necessary for construction from the Corps and other regulatory agencies.
