September 2009
Halcrow has won the most prestigious prize in the North American maritime calendar – the Coasts, Oceans, Rivers and Ports Institute (COPRI) Project Excellence competition - for its innovative and sustainable dredging solution at the Jacksonville Dames Point container terminal.
COPRI – a division of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) - awarded the 2009 ‘large project winner’ gong to Halcrow against stiff competition from many other hopeful contenders.
Halcrow was brought in as lead consultant to help deliver Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT)'s flagship facility - one of the largest container ports on the US east coast. The team gained the necessary permits and designed and managed construction in an intense 42-month programme, finishing on time and within budget.
The judging committee confessed it was “faced with a difficult decision due to the extremely high quality of the submissions… the technical expertise demonstrated in each of the projects was superb.”
Such sentiments make Halcrow’s win all the more impressive, as Jacksonville-based project manager, Paul Starr, was quick to testify: “This is hugely significant for the company and the maritime business group as it recognises and rewards the exacting approach that characterises every project Halcrow takes on. It also further cements the growing reputation of the business across North America.”
The challenging project – completed in January 2009 – successfully met a dizzying array of environmental regulations. The team not only made use of all the materials available, but minimized the environmental impacts generated by such an enormous project. This included the impact to salt and freshwater wetlands, the preservation of a 30-acre freshwater wetland, the avoidance of reclaiming the St Johns River, while simultaneously ensuring the continued operation of Jacksonville’s dredge spoil sites.
Paul added: “The dredging methodology adopted was ambitious, but proved enormously successful. Our solution put many of the sustainability issues that were important to JAXPORT and the local environmental agencies, at the heart of the project.”