Services

Waterfront Engineering

Waterfront Engineering is a core competency within PND. For over 40 years, designing the docks and harbors necessary for providing vessels of all shapes and sizes a place to safely come ashore has been a passion of ours that we don’t take lightly. The challenges presented in designing waterfront infrastructure under extreme conditions in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest include some of the world’s largest tides, acute seismic hazards, remote cold-climate construction, and sensitive marine mammal habitat. Our engineers have a wealth of knowledge and expertise in handling some of the toughest design conditions encountered anywhere in the world.

Our foundation is waterfront engineering; our depth of knowledge enables us to keep setting industry standards, wherever water meets land.

We have designed, retrofit, and/or rehabilitated thousands of piers, wharves, docks, small boat harbors, mooring structures, boat launches, and many other types of waterfront infrastructure throughout the course of our firm’s history, positioning PND as one of the premier waterfront engineering design firms in the world. From the shores of the Arctic Ocean to the banks of the Amazon River, PND has provided economical and robust designs where others have failed.

Waterfront engineering projects, including design, retrofit, and rehabilitation, over 45-year history

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Docks and piers designed over the last decade

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Number of Alaska harbors PND has provided waterfront engineering services

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Waterfront Experts

We have four decades of waterfront engineering experience, positioning PND as a preeminent expert in marine infrastructure design.

Remote Project Site Solutions

Through extensive field inspection and construction observation, PND understands remote project logistics and construction limitations, which is reflected in our thoughtful designs for elements such as modular construction to reduce cost, shorten construction schedules, and increase safety for construction crews.

Sound Foundations

PND excels at producing constructable designs regardless of site conditions, including a variety of foundation types to resist anticipated loading from berthing and mooring forces to extreme environmental conditions.

Services

Ports & Harbors

PND has developed innovative solutions for more than 200 docks and piers in the last decade alone. Our dock designs typically fall within three categories: pile-supported, floating, or bulkheads. Pile-supported docks extend over intertidal zones to reach the water depth necessary for most marine vessels. Floating docks are extremely efficient for facilities where a large volume of passengers or freight are loaded/offloaded over a tidal cycle. Bulkhead docks are well suited in situations where extremely heavy loads are anticipated at the dock face; bulkheads use earthen fill instead of more expensive conventional construction materials, which can significantly reduce project cost. Our team of experts will advise clients on the best fit for their site, facility needs, and budget. Our patented OPEN CELL SHEET PILE™ (OCSP) bulkheads meet these conditions and allow for higher loads and taller walls, ideal for heavy-lifting equipment in challenging conditions.

Cruise Ship Facilities & Ferry Terminals

Marine transportation has been a cornerstone of passenger transportation throughout human history. Today, ports continuously need to be added and upgraded to support the cruise industry and ferry services. The cruise industry is a boon for both local and national economies, attracting water-bound tourism. To accommodate increasingly large cruise ships, PND has developed foundation systems using SPIN FIN™ pile tips, which increase pile capacity and ensure seismic code compliance. Our patented OCSP solution is designed to provide stability for bulkheads, dolphin systems, and passenger boarding systems in severe marine conditions. Floating berths, secured by piles or dolphins, are flexible with tide changes for passenger transfers, while fixed-pier berths provide stable, immovable docking. Deepwater docks for deep-draft vessels can handle higher loads, even well above mudline. Our passenger boarding systems include adjustable and ADA-compliant ramps.

Bulk & Container Freight Terminals

Inefficient cargo handling at terminals can cause delays in the transfer of goods from vessel to shore, ultimately delaying the goods from getting to where they are needed. To address this, PND’s freight terminal designs provide strong infrastructure to handle heavy loads and accommodate deep-draft vessels. Container freight terminals support container cranes, enabling the efficient transfer of containers between ships and shore. Bulk freight terminals store large stockpiles of materials for loading and unloading carrier ships. These terminals are designed to accommodate 750 to 2,000 pounds per square foot and are equipped to service deep-draft vessels. PND’s dock structures ensure durability and efficiency to meet the demanding requirements of modern freight terminals.

Marinas & Floats

Form and function aren’t mutually exclusive for float design. PND plans, designs, and provides construction and fabrication oversight of in-water structures, upland accommodations, and marina facilities. We offer a variety of float systems, including concrete floats with foam billets encapsulated in concrete, heavy timber floats with foam billets or polyethylene tubs, and pipe floats made of steel or high-density polyethylene pipes. Each float system is modular with a durable, performant design for your site and climate. We can deftly assess and recommend the most suitable float system, with considerations for both construction lifecycle costs and site-specific conditions.

Boat Launches & Haulouts

Vessel launching areas create vital access to the water for coastal, lakefront, and riverfront communities. PND provides comprehensive engineering solutions for boat launch and vessel haulout facilities, including planning, funding/grant support, public involvement, innovative design, and construction-phase support services. Our boat launch ramps support trailers for vessel launch and retrieval, and our vessel haulout facilities use specialized equipment to lift vessels from the water for short-distance transport to storage locations. Our facility designs incorporate adequate staging, parking, ramp slopes with durable traction surfaces, and low-maintenance boarding floats designed for extreme variance in tidal elevation even in areas with tidal ranges over 20 vertical feet. We design docks with commercial lifts and advanced washdown pads for haulout facilities to periodically maintain larger vessels.

Dolphins & Fendering Systems

Designing dolphin and fender systems is a surprisingly complex undertaking. It requires skill and experience to get it right. Several environmental conditions need to be considered when designing the breasting and mooring systems for a dock, including wind direction/speed, wave direction, size/period, current, tides, vessel sizes above/below water, berthing methods, and a variety of other factors. All of these considerations ensure vessels maintain their position at the dock. Independent dolphin and mooring systems bring standalone strength that can resist both berthing vessel loads as well as wind and wave forces.

Decades-Long Client Relationships Start With A Solution

Unalaska Marine Center Expansion | Unalaska, AK

“I’ve had the pleasure of working with PND on four marine projects in Unalaska, Alaska. Their professionalism and competency is reflected in the fact that we continue to hire them for work in this particularly challenging maritime environment. The PND team is responsive to our needs and change requests, offering solid guidance; polite and courteous in all their interactions with city staff and elected officials; and innovative with respect to design criteria and cost-saving measures.”

Tom Cohenour

Director of Public Works, City of Unalaska, AK

FAQs

To learn more about PND’s waterfront engineering work, read our frequently asked questions.

What types of waterfront engineering services does PND provide?

PND offers a wide range of waterfront engineering services that include ports and harbors; cruise ship facilities and ferry terminals; bulk and container freight terminals; marinas and floats; boat launches and haulouts; and piers, dolphins, and fendering systems.

Does PND provide condition assessments of existing facilities?

Yes, PND not only specializes in the design of new facilities but has extensive experience performing condition assessments and evaluations of existing facilities. We maintain a wide array of specialized equipment to determine the condition of your facility. We can also analyze your facility in its current condition to establish operating parameters.

Does PND provide design services for repair and retrofit of existing facilities?

Yes, PND can assist with the repair and/or retrofit of your existing facility. Whether it is anticipated wear on the facility, damage from an extreme event, or upgrades to expand capabilities or meet modern codes, PND’s dedicated staff has the expertise to reach your goals.

How does PND address the challenges of designing in severe environmental conditions?

PND designs for high seismic loads, extreme tidal fluctuations, high-velocity winds, and low temperatures, ensuring strong, reliable structures.

What makes PND’s float design unique?

We design concrete floats, timber floats, pipe floats, and ultra-high-molecular-weight tub and pipe floats. Each design considers the end users of the facility and the long-term maintenance demands, ensuring our design services provide the longest service life possible with the lowest maintenance costs.

What are the benefits of PND’s OCSP bulkheads?

This patented solution provides strong platforms for heavy-lifting equipment in difficult seismic, ice, and current conditions, supporting designs in a multitude of waterfront soil and weather conditions.

How does PND support the cruise industry?

PND plays a crucial role in supporting the cruise industry by delivering expert engineering and design services tailored to the unique challenges of maritime infrastructure. PND develops robust port facilities, docking systems, and waterfront structures, ensuring cruise lines have safe, efficient, and aesthetically pleasing infrastructure to accommodate their ships and passengers. PND specializes in designing facilities with difficult conditions such as logistically challenging locations and/or terrain. Our comprehensive approach includes feasibility studies, structural design, project management, and construction support, all aimed at enhancing the operational efficiency and environmental sustainability of cruise operations. By leveraging our deep industry knowledge and innovative solutions, PND helps cruise lines provide memorable and smooth experiences for travelers while optimizing port and terminal functionality.

Can PND assist with the entire process from planning to construction?

Yes. PND handles everything from initial planning and securing funding to design and construction support services for your waterfront engineering project.

What types of docks and piers has PND designed?

PND has designed over 200 docks and piers in the last decade alone, from fixed and floating docks to OCSP docks, each tailored to support our clients’ needs. PND has provided design, retrofit, and/or rehabilitation on over 1,000 waterfront engineering projects worldwide in our 45-year history.

How does PND ensure the longevity and durability of their waterfront structures?

PND uses advanced materials and innovative designs, such as SPIN FIN piles, to withstand environmental stresses and provide long-lasting, low-maintenance structures. For instance, a SPIN FIN pile can absorb many times more energy than a smooth pile through its ability to increase load capacity as the pile is moved (pulled or pushed). A SPIN FIN pile acts similarly to a screw, while a traditional pile is similar to a nail.

What kind of waterfront projects has PND completed in the past?

PND has successfully completed numerous projects, from small community docks to large commercial port facilities, across both coastal and inland waterways for a variety of industries.

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Table of Contents

Ports & Harbors

Cruise Ship Facilities & Ferry Terminals

Bulk & Container Freight Terminals

Marinas & Floats

Boat Launches & Haulouts

Dolphins & Fendering Systems

Decades-Long Client Relationships Start With A Solution

FAQs

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