Crowley starts $48.5 million pier project in San Juan

The ocean carrier broke ground on a construction project at its Isla Grande Terminal in San Juan, Puerto Rico, which includes the development of a new pier and all associated dredging needed to accommodate its two new liquefied natural gas-powered vessels.    Crowley Puerto Rico Services broke ground on a $48.5 million construction project for a new pier at its Isla Grande Terminal in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
   The pier will be 900-feet long and 114-feet wide.
   The project also includes dredging to accommodate Crowley’s two new liquefied natural gas-powered Commitment Class ships, the El Coqui and Taino, which are designed to serve the trade between the United States and Puerto Rico. The 2,400-TEU combination container and roll-on/roll-off ships are scheduled for delivery in 2017.
   The Isla Grande Terminal construction project is being carried out by L.P.C. & D. Inc. of Las Piedras, Puerto Rico, which began driving the first piles for the pier last week.
   The pier design was developed over the past year with the Puerto Rico Ports Authority and Harbor Consulting Engineers of Seattle.
   Terminal expansion also includes the installation of three new ship-to-shore gantry cranes, which will be supplied under a separate contract.
   Overall, Crowley is investing about $500 million into its Puerto Rico service. In addition to the construction of the new ships, new pier, and three new cranes, investments include new truck access gates, refrigerated container plugs, new containers and handling equipment and more, Crowley said.
   “Our new terminal infrastructure will help us reposition Puerto Rico as a shipping and logistics hub for the Caribbean Basin and beyond, and open up many new opportunities for our customers,” Crowley Chairman and CEO Tom Crowley said in a statement.