IMCO General Construction is to begin work on a $2.55
million upgrade project at the Port of Everett’s South Terminal later in
December to strengthen the wharf to support roll-on/roll-off cargo operations.
The major infrastructure investment, made possible through a
grant from Washington state taxpayers, involves strengthening 140-feet of the
700-foot dock to create a ‘heavylift’ pad in the northwest corner of the wharf.
Work is expected to be complete in May 2015.
The port says upgrading the South Terminal is vital in the
port’s ability to support the machinery, heavy equipment and other breakbulk
cargoes that are regularly imported and exported through the international
terminal.
When combined with the port’s recent investment to construct
a roll-on/roll-off cargo berth at South Terminal in 2013, the strengthened
wharf is expected to have an immediate impact on the port’s ability to more
efficiently load and unload cargo from some of the industry’s larger ro/ro
vessels.
“It is critical that we continue to make necessary capital
investments into our seaport to ensure our facilities are world-class,” Port of
Everett Executive Director & CEO Les Reardanz said. “We are committed to
meeting and adapting our facilities to support and grow our customer base.”
The wharf was originally constructed in the 1970s, with a
working load capacity of 500 pounds per square foot (psf). The current project
is expected to double the strength of the dock, bringing the working load
capacity to 1,000 psf.
In addition to the wharf-strengthening project, the port has
been working to develop its rail infrastructure to improve regional freight
mobility and rail loading at the seaport. The port says that in 2015-2016 it
will invest more than $10 million in rail upgrades to add 650 lineal feet of
new rail track at the northern end of the seaport, rehabilitate and extend the
South Terminal rail spur and construct a double rail siding of about 3,600 lineal
feet of on-terminal track. This is expected to provide the capacity necessary
to move more cargo out by rail rather than truck.
