Construction begins on Port Everglades Bulkhead Replacement Project in Florida

Construction has begun on the Port Everglades Bulkhead Replacement Project in Fort Lauderdale, Florida – a vital seaport serving as a critical hub for cargo, petroleum, and cruise operations. As part of Broward County’s Capital Improvement Plan, Port Everglades sought to construct new bulkhead walls to replace existing walls at the end of their service life. In total, approximately 2,840 linear feet (865 m) of new bulkhead was designed, with about 900 linear feet (275 m) already completed.

Infrastructure improvements at a critical port

Port Everglades is a vital economic and transportation hub in Florida, generating over $28 billion in annual economic activity and supporting more than 200,000 jobs in the state. It ranks as the world’s third-busiest cruise home port and handles a diverse range of cargo, including petroleum and containerized goods.

The Bulkhead Replacement Project consists of the design and replacement of multiple berths at Port Everglades, completed in a series of design packages. Mott MacDonald completed Design Package 1 in June 2024, which included approximately 2,840 linear feet (865 m) of newly designed bulkhead.

The design incorporates several important future-proofing features, including the capability to raise the berths by as much as 5 feet (1.5 m) to address potential sea level rise. It takes into account survivability during hurricane conditions – an essential consideration in Florida – by factoring in challenges such as hydrostatic drawdown and wave overtopping. In addition, the design supports the possibility of accommodating larger vessels with deeper drafts and more demanding mooring requirements in the future, including Princess Cruises’ newest and largest cruise ships and Star Princess (debuting in November 2025). The Entrance Channel bulkhead will secure access to the Port’s main access channel and accommodate future plans to widen and deepen the channel.

Of fundamental importance, the design also allows construction activities to take place within an active terminal, ensuring that ongoing operations can continue with minimal disruption.

“We are proud to be an integral part of the Port Everglades Bulkhead Replacement Program as part of Broward County’s strategic investment in infrastructure that is resilient, durable, and capable of meeting present and future port operational demands,” said Kris Pagán, principal project manager, marine structures, at Mott MacDonald. “Our contribution and the successful development of the projects that are part of the program support the Port’s objective to serve as an economic engine for the county, but also ensures long-term infrastructure vitality for one of the country’s most critical seaports.”  

Kris leads our Marine Structures group, which has supported the development of the project from the pre-design phase to the development of construction documents. The project builds upon Mott MacDonald’s extensive experience in the ports, coastal, and offshore markets.

Next steps

Our team will continue to support the construction of Design Package 1 by providing construction engineering and inspection services. As planned in the design, we anticipate minimal disruption of regular operations throughout construction. We have also begun the pre-design phase for Design Package 2.