Freeport Container Port
As the long term, global demand for consumer goods spirals ever upward, so does the need for bigger containers ships and in turn deeper container ports. With the help of Halcrow, one of the world’s largest container ports is currently entering a new expansion phase.A new $250 million facility at the Freeport Container Port in Grand Bahama Island, the Bahamas, will create another 500 metres of berth – room in fact for another one-and-a-half mega containerships to dock.
The Halcrow team became involved with this project in the late 1990s when it was chosen to provide planning and design of phase II, to double the capacity of the terminal. Subsequently Halcrow was selected as the client’s representative to implement phase II - IV, including the deepening of the harbour to -16.0m. The scope of services included project management, outline designs, pricing schedules, cost estimates, tender evaluation, negotiation and award assistance, and construction supervision. Work was completed on time and on budget.
For phase V of the port expansion, Halcrow provided site supervision and contracts support services for a further harbor dredging campaign, comprising the removal of approximately 1 million cubic yards of limestone rock (completed in 2008). Halcrow is also providing detailed design and construction supervision for 500m of new quay and an automated rail-mounted gantry stacking yard, as well as mechanical and electrical services for six additional Super Post-Panamax gantry cranes.
This fifth phase of the port’s evolution will also mean that the container yard will be expanded by an additional 10 hectares, six additional gantry cranes will be supplied and 35 shuttle carriers will be installed. Once this phase is complete, the port will be able to handle 2.4 million TEU (20 foot equivalent container units).
For the future the port also has ambitious plans to install an additional 3,400 metres of berth and add 45 more quay cranes. This would bring total annual TEU to 6.7 million. Halcrow is being consulted on phases six, seven and beyond.
Benefits
Freeport Harbour which is strategically positioned to serve as a major world transhipment hub between the Eastern and Gulf coasts of the United States, the Caribbean, South America and the trade lanes to European, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Far Eastern and Australasian destinations. The harbour now boasts one of the deepest navigation channels in the world with a dredge depth of 16.0m. This enables it to cope with the world’s largest containerships such as the Emma Maersk.
The port is a major world transport hub between the Eastern Gulf coast of the USA, the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean and South America.
CLICK HERE FOR ORIGINAL ARTICLE
