Project Details:

Lafarge Canada Inc. (Lafarge) retained CWA to develop a multi-phased plan to rehabilitate and upgrade aging marine infrastructure at their cement plant, located in Richmond, B.C.

Under Phase 1 of this project, CWA assessed the existing marine infrastructure at the cement plant’s riverside berth and subsequently developed a rehabilitation plan to address the repair and replacement of damaged and/or deteriorated members in order to return the existing marine infrastructure to its originally constructed state.

Subsequently, in Phase 2 CWA worked with Lafarge to identify portions of the existing marine infrastructure that could be upgraded or replaced to achieve increased loading capacities for equipment that would allow Lafarge to accommodate future capacity increases or changes to berth loading/unloading operations.

Challenges:

The existing cement terminal and marine berth is an operating facility and construction sequencing had to be considered to allow for the construction of new facility components while still maintaining regular berth and cement terminal operations.

The upgraded marine infrastructure was designed to be installed as quickly and efficiently as possible in order to not infringe upon the annual salmonoid spawning season in the Fraser River.

Solutions:

CWA performed a condition inspection of the marine infrastructure to verify the scope of repairs or replacement required and produced an updated cost estimate for the project. CWA developed a phased approach to the work, encompassing development of the rehabilitation strategy, the detailed design of upgraded/replacement infrastructure, a project cost estimate, and construction and post-construction services for the following elements:

  • A new support structure for the approach trestle, including steel pipe piles and beams.
  • A new unloader hoist tower.
  • The replacement of the unloader timber transfer platform.
  • A new support structure for the berth catwalk.
  • A new barge ramp abutment.
  • New barge ramp lifting towers.
  • New warping winches for 7,800-tonne barges.
  • Modifications to the main wharf to accommodate the new barge ramp.

CWA prepared an Issued for Tender (IFT) drawing set for Lafarge to submit to potential bidding contractors.