Berth construction completed at Port Freeport, Texas

McCarthy Building Companies has completed construction of Berth Eight at Port Freeport, Texas.

Part of the Velasco Terminal, Berth Eight features over 925 feet (281.9 metres) of berth and an associated Ro-Ro dock extension. The expansion represents the single largest project built by a public port on the Texas Gulf Coast.

McCarthy began construction in 2020 and achieved substantial completion in May 2023.

The scope of work included demolition of an existing concrete relieving platform, dry excavation, combi-wall bulkhead installation, construction of the new wharf, which included wharf piling, mechanical and hydraulic dredging, mudline/shoreline protection system, and mooring and breasting system, plus the rehabilitation of the existing Berth Seven fender system. McCarthy self-performed all aspects of the project except for hydraulic dredging, electrical and crane rail installation.

McCarthy also worked to protect the shoreline, using a grout-filled mattress system in lieu of the originally designed riprap, thereby preventing future maintenance dredging obstructions.

McCarthy built a Ro-Ro dock structure that can also be adapted to become a ship-to-shore crane rail berth when post-Panamax gantry cranes are installed.

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