Work is under way on the Port Everglades Bulkhead Replacement project in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., a vital seaport serving as a hub for cargo, petroleum and cruise operations.
Mott MacDonald, the United Kingdom-based contractor in charge of the operation, said in a news release on its website that as part of Broward County's Capital Improvement Plan, construction at the port is designed to install new bulkhead walls to replace aging walls that have reached the end of their service lives.
In total, approximately 2,840 linear ft. of new bulkhead was designed, with about 900 ft. already completed, the global building firm noted on Sept. 11, 2025.
Port Everglades is one of the most important economic and transportation hubs in Florida, generating more than $28 billion in annual economic activity and supporting more than 200,000 jobs in the state. It ranks as the world's third-busiest home ports for cruise ships and also 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 the port, each of which will be completed in a series of design packages. Mott MacDonald finished design package one in June 2024, which included approximately 2,840 ft. of new bulkhead.
The berth designs incorporate several critical future-proofing features, the contractor noted, including the capability to raise the berths by as much as 5 ft. to address potential sea level rise. In addition, the plans consider survivability during hurricane conditions — an essential consideration in Florida — by factoring in challenges such as hydrostatic drawdown and wave overtopping.
Each 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 vessels, including the cruise line's Star Princess, set to debut in November.
Port Everglades' planned Entrance Channel bulkhead will secure access to its main channel and accommodate future efforts to widen and deepen the channel, according to Mott MacDonald.
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," Kris Pagán, a principal project manager of Mott MacDonald, said in the company news release.
"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."
Pagán leads the global company's 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 world's ports, coastal and offshore markets.
Pagán's team will continue to support the construction of design package one by providing construction engineering and inspection services. As planned in the design, Mott MacDonald anticipates minimal disruption of regular operations throughout the work.
In addition, the company, headquartered in London, said that it has started the pre-design for design package two.
