Retrofitting an Existing Berth for Heavy Weather Mooring Conditions

The Massachusetts Maritime Academy (the Academy) was selected to participate in the National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMV) program by the US Maritime Administration (MARAD). MARAD provides training ships to the State Maritime Academies and the NSMV program plans to upgrade the vessels. The NSMV program will address the aging training fleet and provide versatile training and disaster response vessels. The new ships have multi-mission capability and MARAD required dock facilities with heavy weather mooring capacity for mid-range Category 2 hurricane conditions. Initial analysis of the existing dock by MARAD found that the existing structures and mooring and berthing equipment were unlikely to have adequate strength to support the design storm conditions. The existing dock structures were otherwise in good condition and the Academy was seeking to strengthen and upgrade the facilities to meet the required storm conditions. A dynamic mooring analysis was performed to develop mooring line loads and fender performance parameters. A retrofit was designed adding strengthening elements to the existing wharf structure and replacing shoreside mooring fixtures to create a composite structure capable of supporting the higher loading.