Client: USACE Alaska
Location: Shemya, Alaska
Scope of Work:
- Design
- Construction
- Logistics
In 2021, Brice completed a fast-track design build construction project to perform short-term repairs to the Eareckson Air Station (EAS) fuel pier on Shemya Island, Alaska. In February 2020, powerful waves had crashed into the fuel pier, stripping off nearly the entire eastern berthing face, spilling its concrete structural fill. Three holes were left behind at the northeast, southeast and northwest corners of this 75’ by 320’ pier. EAS is an Air Force refueling station as well as an intercontinental emergency landing strip for commercial air traffic crossing the Pacific Ocean. Once a year, a barge arrives with fuel to support EAS operations for an entire year. Further, the pier welcomes supply barges throughout the year for EAS contractors running operations and projects across this 5-square-mile island. Brice teamed with Appledore Marine Engineering who designed the short-term repairs. The project goal was to keep the pier functional until a long-term solution could be implemented.
The project is rated “high” in complexity due to the various site-specific constraints including local weather, the remote location, compressed schedule to complete the project in less than one year, and the requirement to design a solution that would not be an impediment to the follow-on long-term fuel pier design-build construction project. In addition, we coordinated work around EAS operations. Specifically, we stopped construction work on the east side of the pier to accommodate the landing of the annual resupply barge and worked on the northwest corner of the pier in the meantime.
Performance Highlights
- Completed the project on time and on budget, despite multiple design constraints and complex logistics
- Commended by J. Chouinard, DLA Engineer: “Brice, with Appledore Marine, creatively devised a construction fix which could be accomplished with the available materials in the allotted project duration. Without a quick fix the existing pier was in jeopardy of total collapse creating a major mission impact. This willingness to find workable solutions and overcome multiple obstacles such as large wind and wave action, covid protocols, marine mammal protection restrictions, diver safety requirements, supply chain disruptions, and a remote working environment greatly contributed to the successes of this project. Defense Logistics Agency was pleased to be a partner with Brice for this successful Eareckson AS short-term pier repair.”