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PORT PROJECTS: NEWPORT
Port of Newport embarks on infrastructure improvements By Angela Nebel, for the Port of Newport
T
he replacement of the Port Dock 5 pier at the Port of Newport is a significant investment in the commercial marina where one of Oregon’s most productive fishing fleets is homeported. The $2.4-million pier reconstruction project is not only a much-needed overhaul of the 60-yearold facility but is also envisioned as the first spark of a chain reaction expected to prepare the Port and an evolving fleet for the next half century. Originally constructed in the early 1960s, Port Dock 5 is home to 80 vessels that haul in Newport’s famed Dungeness Crab, as well as pink
Port officials have recognized for some time that the condition of the pier was well beyond any minor repairs and began the search for funding. shrimp, black cod, halibut, tuna, and more. The dilapidated pier, a wooden structure comprised of 50 wood piles and 11 mostly wooden bents, is the conduit for potable water, fuel lines, power, and more to the boats, as well as a floating fuel facility. Port officials have recognized for some time that the condition of the pier was well beyond any minor repairs
and began the search for funding. In the meantime, they enacted strict but necessary limitations. “We built a gate four years ago to reduce the main amount of public traffic down there,” explained Kent Gibson, harbormaster for the Port of Newport’s commercial marina. The pier that once allowed for truck traffic was restricted to the vehicles
The 60-year-old access pier to Port Dock 5 will be replaced in 2021. (Photo by Ken Gagne) January 2021 — PACIFIC PORTS — 39
