Port Freeport gets $19.6 million in berth settlement

   Port Freeport in Texas has reached a $19.6-million settlement in the Velasco Terminal Phase 1 Berth 7 project — a development, started in 2007, that showed signs of stability issues once it was completed.
   “These funds came as a result of a mediated settlement between all parties and insurance proceeds,” Glenn Carlson, the port’s executive director, said in a statement. “We intend to use these funds to retire debt.”
   According to a news release from the port, officials have spent four years working to rebuild the berth and then pursuing the insurance settlement. Vessels are now calling the berth.
   The 800-foot-by-1,909-foot Berth 7 was the victim of a structural failure that popped up when the development was in the dredging stage, according to Freese and Nichols, which reviewed the structural design of the port to make sure it conformed with the Army Corps of Engineers requirements.
   McCarthy Building Cos. served as the initial contractor for the project, which was slated for completion in August 2009.
   “One of the biggest challenges of this project will be installing the precast concrete and steel piles in the correct location at a productive rate since these piles are unusually long for a project of this type, measuring over 100 feet deep,” according to a McCarthy press release issued in March 2009. “Another project challenge involves accessing the site and drainage, ensuring the site surface remains relatively dry for construction. Also, due to the site’s location off the Gulf Coast, McCarthy will be tasked with preparing the project for high-wind resistance in order to prime the wharf for potential hurricanes and tropical storms that may develop in this coastal area.” – Jon Ross