MARITIME COMMUNITY

:MARITIME COMMUNITY WSP: A key partner in Canada’s Pacific maritime community

Each year, Canada’s Pacific maritime community comes ...the Centerm Expansion Project and together to show support for seafarers through the Mission to Seafarers’ Cycling for Seafarers fundrais- South Shore Access Project are being ing event. While the pandemic moved this year’s program to a more virtual experience, a “physically distanced,” final-day built to help meet anticipated near-term cycle provided participants an occasion to show their sup- demand for containers shipped through port in person. It was during this event that APP’s Executive Director, Jane McIvor, and WSP Canada’s Information the Port of Vancouver. Management Specialist, Kirsten Behnka, met and realized an opportunity to provide APP members with an update on the with partners to manage the proCenterm Expansion Project (CEP) and South Shore Access ject assignment. “The Vancouver Project (SSAP) in the Port of Vancouver. The chance meet- Fraser Port Authority project ing also illustrated WSP’s commitment to Canada’s Pacific delivery team, split the project maritime community. up into three defined areas, the Background on-terminal reconfiguration;

Initiated in 2015 by DP World Canada and the Vancouver east and west marine expanFraser Port Authority, the Centerm Expansion Project and sions; and the land structures South Shore Access Project are being built to help meet anticiwhich includes the rehabilitation pated near-term demand for containers shipped through the of Ballantyne Pier and the truck Port of Vancouver. The project will increase throughput at gates.” Stewart said, further notthe container terminal in Vancouver Harbour from the cur- ing that WSP’s role also extended rent capacity of 900,000 20-foot equivalent unit containers out to the South Shore Access Kirsten Behnka (TEUs) to 1.5 million TEUs. This represents a 60 per cent Project, including both rail, road increase in capacity at the terminal achieved by expanding the improvements and an overpass. Overall, for the CEP and SSAP existing footprint by 15 per cent. The project is on track to be project, WSP’s team includes four field representatives to monfinished in 2022. itor the design-build construction; a health and safety lead The full extent of the project includes: and a supporting coordinator; one quality lead; two document • Expansion at the west and east sides of the terminal and a reconfiguration of the container yard controllers; one design manager; one construction manager for SSAP, and an area lead, responsible for the on Terminal and • Modernizing truck gates • Building a new operations facility • Removing the Heatley Avenue overpass The improvements to port roads include extending Waterfront Road to connect it to Centennial Road and building an overpass near Rogers Sugar. This will reduce travel delays for port users and businesses, and port-related traffic on local roads in Downtown Vancouver. Following public, Indigenous and stakeholder consultation and a vigorous permitting process, construction began in mid-2019 with Vancouver Fraser Port Authority being supported by WSP Canada who provided project management support services, in conjunction with AECOM, the Owner’s Engineer and Guidewire being the Environmental Lead. Western Expansion Works. Behnka provided an additional overview of equipment and system upgrades, highlighting the reconfiguration of rail lines, new cranes, and the work involved in repurposing Ballantyne Building from a vacant cruise ship terminal to a new Operations Faciality for DP World. “The project takes into account the scarcity of industrial land in Vancouver Harbour and, by using only 15 per cent more land, is able to add more than 60 per cent terminal capacity,” Behnka said. Given the extensive and multi-faceted work being undertaken, documentation control and information management has played a critical role in the successful execution of the Project. Acting as the information hub for stakeholders, regulators, and project teams, Behnka described how she and colleague Kassy Jordan log, trace and organize all documents, which to date, WSP’s role at Centerm has surpassed the thousands. “In addition to ensuring docu-

Behnka, along with Jonathan Stewart, Terminal and Western ments are complete and readily available for all partners and Expansion Lead, gave an overview of how WSP was working stakeholders, we are continually managing deadlines to ensure

West (top) and east (bottom) expansion of Vancouver’s Centerm Terminal will provide up to 60 per cent more capacity for container throughput.

Photos courtesy Vancouver Fraser Port Authority (William Jans Photography)

documentation, especially that which serves to fulfill government regulations, is filed on time.”

While this is the first project for Behnka as an information management specialist, her background and previous roles within WSP speak to her abilities as a natural management professional. Having graduated from the British Columbia Institute of Technology with a degree in geomatics, Behnka began her career in 2013 as an industrial technologist for WSP before becoming a senior technologist for water/wastewater. After deciding her interests lay more in the management process rather than the design process, Behnka was tagged to join the Centerm Expansion Project.

Both Behnka and Stewart, when asked about challenges, were quick to point out that the project had to be completed, while maintaining operations in an extremely busy terminal. To add an additional layer of complexity, COVID has obviously been a challenge. “We’ve been working hard to ensure safety protocols are followed, to avoid an outbreak of COVID-19 onsite,” said Stewart, noting that the project has strangely benefitted from COVID, due to other construction sites being closed down and additional resources have been allocated to work at Centerm.

Growth in Canada

WSP’s growth into the Canadian Ports, Marine and Coastal market has been nothing short of stellar. “We’ve grown from a team of seven in 2017 to over 30 people now, who provide an array of services all across the country,” said Stewart. The WSP Ports, Marine and Coastal team hubs are located on the east and west coast of Canada and can be found working for an array of clients across Canada, from St. John’s, Newfoundland and Quebec, across to Prince Rupert and Vancouver Island. “Projects range from terminal planning and design, coastal engineering/ modeling, asset management, structural design, construction and project management, all the way through to design-build initiatives.

Indeed, WSP can be found at many of the larger ports globally and is quickly becoming recognized as the leader in engineering services. They have won numerous awards — most recently taking home five engineering awards from the Canadian Consulting Engineer Magazine and Association of Consulting Engineering Companies for their work on the Johnson Street Bridge Replacement in Victoria, British Columbia and Greater Vernon’s Water System in the B.C. Okanagan.

And while not used on the Centerm project, WSP’s PRIME (Port Rail Inter Modal Evaluation) proprietary software is gaining the reputation of incredibly valuable planning tool for clients. “The program allows you to map out an existing terminal/facility, creating a base case, which then allows proposed expansions to be built out, providing calculated potential efficiencies and benefits, which can be gained through various types of improvements, re-configurations and equipment upgrades,” said Stewart. “It’s a very useful planning tool that allows clients to visualize and document potential changes and benefits in real time.”

Equally notable of the WSP team in Canada — and exemplified by Behnka’s participation in the Cycling for Seafarers event — is their commitment to the local maritime community. “I feel very lucky to be involved with this project and with Vancouver’s marine industry,” said Behnka. “It’s a great team who work very well together — DP World, the Vancouver Port Authority, AECOM, Guidewire Environmental, as well as contractors in the JV, Jacob brothers, FRPD and Dragados. Everyone is working hard to make sure the project will be as successful as possible.”

The future looks bright for both Kirsten and the entire WSP team on Canada’s Pacific coast. PP