McCarthy wraps up largest public port project on Texas coast

McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. has completed construction of Berth 8 at Port Freeport, Texas.

Part of the Velasco Terminal, Berth 8 features over 925 feet of berth and an associated roll-on/roll-off dock extension.

The expansion represents the single largest project built by a public port on the Texas Gulf Coast.

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 7 fender system.

McCarthy self-performed all aspects of the project except for hydraulic dredging, electrical and crane rail installation.

Berth 8 was dredged to minus 51 feet, matching the depth of the Freeport Harbor Channel Improvement Project. This allows it to handle newer, larger container vessels transiting the expanded Panama Canal.