McCarthy Building Companies has started construction on Port of Beaumont’s Main Street Terminal 1. Aimed at increasing the port’s general cargo handling capacity by more than 15%, the project includes demolition of a failed dock structure and construction of a new state-of-the-art general cargo dock.

The Main Street Terminal is the main dock for the Port of Beaumont, and its central location makes it the number one strategic military port in the country. The original dock collapsed in 2012, thus McCarthy must first safely demolish the entire dock in water that has zero visibility. With portions of the dock still standing, it is critical to remove everything off the floor before installing the new dock in the old dock’s footprint, as any underwater obstructions could hinder pile driving installation.

The new dock will be 1,200 feet long and 130 feet wide, with a larger section in the middle measuring 152 feet wide. Its construction will consist of concrete piles, cast-in-place concrete caps and beams, pre-case concrete deck panels, and a concrete topping slab. McCarthy is self-performing all concrete and pile installation, as well as utility installation including water, and sewer.

“We are pleased to work alongside the Port of Beaumont to build an important piece of infrastructure that will have positive economic and community impacts,” said Robert Wood, project manager for McCarthy. “Our lengthy history of working with ports, along with our ability to self-perform work, provides us a great basis for successful, on-time completion for challenging projects like this.”

With an opportunity for a complete redesign of the terminal, sustainability and resiliency were top of mind for the Port of Beaumont. Key building elements include use of concrete piles that provide a corrosion-resistant foundation for extended resiliency, and a final concrete topping slab that will be constructed using synthetic concrete reinforcing fibers, as opposed to traditional welded steel wire mesh. This reinforcing material will provide a corrosion proof surface which will slow deterioration. The new fender system includes an energy-absorbing component to reduce loads on the dock, which will extend the useful life of the dock.

“This project represents an evolution in marine construction, as evidenced throughout the Port’s various wharves,” said Director of Engineering Brandon Bergeron. “Since the Port is over 100 years old, we have docks constructed of timber, steel, and concrete, and this project represents the most up-to-date, state-of-the-art advancements in marine engineering design and construction techniques. The Main Street Terminal I project is ushering the port into a new era of development.”

The Main Street Terminal 1 project is the largest of the 20 projects on the Port of Beaumont’s 2022 Capital Improvement Program which includes three new docks and a new rail interchange track. McCarthy began work on the Main Street Terminal Phase II in February of 2022, with completion scheduled for mid-2024.

McCarthy has worked at various ports along the Gulf Coast for approximately 30 years and is the nation’s fifth-largest port and marine builder ranked by Engineering News Record. McCarthy’s experience in marine construction spans a diverse array of project types including petrochemical liquid terminal facilities, bulk cargo handling terminals, and deep-water container terminal ship docks.