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INSTRUCTORS:
Andy Espinoza, Ph.D, P.E.
Edyson Rojas, P.E.
Jyotirmoy Sircar, P.E.
Larry A. Wise, P.E.
Purpose and Background
These presentations were recorded at the ASCE Ports Conference 2025
Floating Pier Designed for Category 4 Hurricane and Seismic Conditions at NOAA Pier Romeo (19 minutes)
This presentation highlights the design and construction of a floating pier at NOAA’s Pier Romeo, built to withstand Category 4 hurricane forces and seismic loading. The session covers dynamic load transfer between the floating system and mooring dolphins, specialized pile guides, and the integration of seismic detailing. Engineering challenges included managing wave, wind, and current loads simultaneously in a constrained site. Attendees will gain insights into hybrid floating pier systems that balance flexibility, durability, and code compliance in extreme environments.
Hurricane Resiliency Considerations and Wave Modeling of Four Berths for LNG Powered Cruise Vessels (15 minutes)
This session focuses on the hurricane resiliency assessment and wave modeling performed for four LNG cruise ship berths in a tropical coastal setting. The presentation includes an overview of metocean data collection, numerical modeling techniques, and dynamic mooring analysis under storm conditions. Attendees will learn how berth geometry, fender systems, and mooring configurations affect vessel stability and berth survivability during extreme weather events. Practical insights are shared on adapting berth design to evolving vessel types and climate risk.
Retrofitting an Existing Berth for Heavy Weather Mooring Conditions (30 minutes)
This session details the retrofit of an existing berth to accommodate heavy weather mooring requirements without full reconstruction. It explores how structural upgrades, bollard capacity improvements, and mooring analysis tools were used to meet operational and safety standards. Attendees will learn about phasing strategies, design constraints, and coordination with port operations to minimize disruption. The presentation illustrates a practical approach to extending the utility and resilience of aging marine infrastructure in the face of increasing weather intensity.
Benefits and Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:
- Describe the structural and mooring design considerations used to develop a floating pier capable of withstanding Category 4 hurricane and seismic forces.
- Explain how pile guides, mooring dolphins, and load transfer systems contribute to the stability and resilience of hybrid floating pier systems.
- Evaluate the influence of berth layout, fender selection, and mooring arrangements on vessel response during extreme storm events.
- Explain the structural and operational strategies used to retrofit existing berths for enhanced mooring performance during heavy weather.
- Identify design constraints, safety upgrades, and construction sequencing techniques that enable resilience improvements without full berth replacement.
Assessment of Learning Outcomes
Students' achievement of the learning outcomes will be assessed via a short post-test assessment (true-false, multiple choice, and/or fill in the blank questions).
Who Should Attend?
- Port engineers
- Port authority staff
- Project managers
- General contractors
- Early career professionals
How to Earn Your CEUs/PDHs and Receive Your Certificate of Completion
To receive your certificate of completion, you will need to complete a short post-test and receive a passing score of 70% or higher within 1 year of purchasing the course.
How do I convert CEUs to PDHs?
1.0 CEU = 10 PDHs [Example: 0.1 CEU = 1 PDH]