On Tuesday, the Richmond City Council were informed that the Port of Richmond’s Point Potrero Marine Terminal (PPMT) is in need of $228 million in repairs over the next decade.
The report and assessment comes after an October 2024 contract with Moffatt & Nichol to conduct a comprehensive condition assessment of PPMT. As the prime consultant, Moffatt & Nichol coordinated the work of supporting partners Liftech Consultants, ENGEO, and Power Engineering Construction. The team carried out structural inspections, geotechnical analysis, constructability reviews, and cost estimating.
According to the report for Berths 5-8, they have major damage which include:
- Slab sagging caused by localized beam failure below
- Many damaged and missing timber piles
- Pavement failure caused by soil erosion
- Exposed reinforcing and corrosion damage below deck
- Repaired piles in good condition; non-repaired piles are getting worse
- Project Costs:
- Berths 5-6 — $68 million
- Berths 7-8 — $136.9 million
- Total Costs – $204.9 million
Gracing Basins & Finger Piers
Graving Basins issues include:
- Exterior columns typically exhibit moderate to major damage
- Cracks, exposed reinforcing steel, delaminations on outside face of basins
Finger Piers
- Major or severe damage at (2) piles likely due to impact
- Deep beams are typically delaminated and spalled with exposed reinforcing
Costs:
- Graving Basins – $9.5 million
- Finger Piers – $13.34 million
- Total Costs – $22.84 million
According to the staff report, Point Potrero Marine Terminal (PPMT), formerly Shipyard No. 3, is a historically significant site within the Port of Richmond. Developed between 1941 and 1942 by Henry J. Kaiser, it was one of four Richmond shipyards that collectively produced over 747 vessels during World War II. In 2009, a large portion of the terminal was redeveloped into a modern Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) terminal, marking its transition from a wartime industrial complex to a contemporary maritime facility.
The terminal today consists of multiple operational zones. Berths 5 and 6 alongside the Riggers Loft building have seen limited use over the past few decades. Berths 7 and 8 are currently leased to Auto Warehousing Company (AWC) for the import of vehicles from Korea and Japan. The Graving Basins and Finger Piers are used for berthing and operations of active commercial marine businesses and for the lay-berthing of the Red Oak Victory at Basin 5. Much of the underlying infrastructure supporting these facilities dates back to the 1940s, which led to the need for a comprehensive assessment of its condition, safety, and capacity to support ongoing and future operational needs
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