Project Description

Harbourside was hired by the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ) to perform a condition assessment of the existing Berth 2 at the Ocho Rios Cruise Terminal in Jamaica. The berth was damaged by a cruise vessel in February 2024. After the condition assessment, we developed a plan to rehabilitate and upgrade the existing facility to accommodate Voyageur and Vista class cruise vessels. Harbourside also provided tender and construction support services to the PAJ who wayed the construction work.

 

Harbourside’s Role

Harbourside Engineering Consultants (HEC)

HEC carried out a site visit in June 2024 to assess existing conditions and assist with design work. This visit involved a visual inspection of the facility, collection of concrete/rebar samples, and ultrasonic thickness measurements (UTM) to verify the existing conditions of the piles.

In doing so, Harbourside collaborated closely with DHI Marine & Environment to conduct a meta ocean study to establish the environmental loads at the terminal.

Due to the urgency to re-open the facility, the structural design was conducted concurrently with the coastal study and geotechnical investigation to minimize downtime of the facility. Harbourside utilized the initial coastal and geotechnical data to perform a preliminary structural analysis that identified the necessary repairs and upgrades to reopen Berth 2.

The proposed repairs and upgrades were divided into two (2) work packages:

• Package #1: Rehabilitation of the existing Berth 2 pile caps and breasting dolphins.

• Package #2: Demolition and reconstruction of a breasting dolphin, pile caps, and walkway spans, extension of pile caps, and reinforcement of mooring dolphins.

Harbourside Geotechnical Consultants (HGC) / WS Langley

Harbourside Geotechnical Consultants conducted various laboratory services as part of its overall investigation. The purpose of the investigation was to provide engineering data on the integrity of the in-situ concrete for restoration purposes.

Concrete cores were extracted from various elements of the structure(s) and thoroughly examined. Concrete and rebar were both evaluated to determine their current condition and strength. Laboratory work included assessment of any deterioration mechanisms within the concrete matrix (physical and chemical) & an elevation of embedded reinforcing steel. Testing confirmed that the concrete was generally sound with no significant deterioration mechanisms present. In addition, we were able to estimate the residual service life of the existing reinforced concrete.

INVESTIGATION SERVICES COMPLETED

A marine-based geotechnical investigation was conducted to establish site parameters for design purposes. This investigation included:

• Barge-based drilling exercise (15 marine-based boreholes)

• A laboratory testing program on soil and rock samples.

• Estimated the existing pile capacities at Berth 2 to support the structural design.

• Developed a geotechnical report to support the re-design of the existing facility and for a potential future expansion of the facility.

TYPES OF TESTING COMPLETED

The evaluation program included the following tests:

• Ultrasonic pulse velocity

• Absorption and permeable voids

• Uranyl acetate staining test for ASR

• Carbonation by measuring pH

• Petrographic examination

• Depth of chloride

• Tensile strength of steel (by others)

Unique Challenges

The Berth 2 rehabilitation presented several challenges. Design services had to be performed prior to receiving the finalized geotechnical and coastal design parameters. Work also had to be done under an accelerated project timeline to minimize the social and economic impacts on the region (due to the importance of cruise ship traffic to the local economy). Finally, a condition assessment was undertaken with a lack of existing /as-built information, adding additional challenge to the project.

Social Impact

The closure of Berth 2 reduced cruise traffic in Ocho Rios significantly. This in turn negatively impacted the local economy that heavily depends on tourism dollars. By condensing the design schedule, we helped mitigate the social and economic impact on this region and helped restore functionality to the terminal as quickly as possible.