Port & terminal planning

Strategic planning for ports-terminals

The strategic planning of the development of existing ports or the site selection and planning of a new port or specialist terminal on a greenfield site requires a multi-disciplined team approach. A wide range of issues must be considered including:

Technical issues: vessels to be accommodated, marine access and manoeuvring, geotechnical aspects, including dredging and disposal, foundations and stability of marine structures, including breakwaters, support infrastructure
Economic studies: traffic forecasts, shipping patterns
Financial appraisals: tariffs, revenues, expenditures
Operational considerations: cargo handling methods and operational criteria, such as acceptable vessel movements and downtime assessments
Environmental issues: impacts and mitigation measures

At HR Wallingford we are able to assemble specialist teams of planners, engineers, economists, financial and operational specialists, and environmentalists to address these issues and work through the stages leading to the development of a strategic plan for new terminal development, covering:

review of the existing port or potential sites for new development, including key issues such as approach channels, terminal layouts, land requirements, infrastructure and hinterland connections
review of shipping traffic, commodities, transport modes and shipping patterns
assessment of port facilities, including berths, equipment, marine craft
preparation of future traffic projections, considering macro and micro economic factors
identification of scope for development
preparation of alternative development scenarios, including expansion of existing facilities or site selection for new developments
evaluation of environmental impacts, both marine and terrestrial
evaluation of alternative developments or sites
identification of environmental mitigation measures
preparation of a strategic development plan.

HR Wallingford’s unique expertise in strategic planning, marine hydraulics, dredging, vessel simulation and marine environmental issues ensure that all issues involved in port development, from identification and evaluation of new sites to proposed developments within existing ports or terminals, are fully addressed.

See also

Corporate literature
Coastal harbours Port and terminal planning