Experience | Consulting & Advisory

Strategy and operations

Port organisation and ownership

Ownership and governance models

Political and public affairs

Development

Environment

Exploitation of port land

Law and regulation

Dispute resolution

Port legislation and powers

Port and marine operations

Marketing

    Selected experience

    • Appointed by Sea Land to review the pavement designs at Salalah Container Terminal, Mina Raysut, Oman and subsequently participated in the design modifications, detailing and specification of the pavements.

    • Advised the Port of Galway on how to meet the requirements of the Habitats Regulations in a major port development to improve cruise ship berthing and facilities. The work involved guiding the port and their consultants on the process.

    • Carried out international market research of all Middle and Far East based deep-sea container lines and feeder operators for a proposed new Middle East container terminal development.

    • Working for Ominvest, an Omani Investment Company, undertook an Oman based market analysis involving shippers, ports and Government to form part of a review to establish a development strategy for the Omani National Shipping Line.

    • The establishment through primary legislation of a new port authority for a group of ports in the Indian Ocean.

    • Engaged by an outgoing tenant at Long Beach port to work with the client’s legal team to challenge landlord’s claim for repair or renewal of an entire berth at end of a tenancy.  By means of substantial engineering investigation and discussion it was demonstrated that the subject facility was indeed still serviceable, irrespective  of the conditions of use.  This avoided very significant expenditure for the client.

    • Commissioned by the Bangladesh Government to undertake a Dakar based design, planning and market analysis with an international engineering consultancy for a new container terminal development at Chittagong.

    • Advised a public sector owner and operator of a commercial port on state aid issues relating to its procurement of a partner to provide port services. Conducted a major procurement exercise to select a partner, which involved the application of the public and utilities procurement rules, structuring and project managing the procurement process. Our advice included consideration of how the project might be structured as a concession arrangement (as well as a number of alternative project structures), and the relevant procurement law implications.

    • The preparation and promotion of harbour revision orders to privatise a commercial port and to authorise a long term scheme of improvements at a UK port including new quays and berths, passenger facilities and ship repair facilities.

    • Acted for a major international oil terminal operator on the potential application to upgrading proposals in relation to a terminal site at a UK port of permitted development rights, environmental impact assessment and Habitats Regulations protections, including considering baseline environmental data and making preliminary assessments of the magnitude of the potential impacts of the development proposals.

    • Irish Rail required a planning solution for a congested railhead facility to service growth of container traffic in Ballina in the northwest area of Ireland.  Proposals were developed to provide for a high density stacking system serviced by a 180 metre length twin track feed.  The system employed was a paved railhead area, permitting access from both sides by reach-stackers, working onto trailers.  The entire railtrack length was heavy duty paved to permit access of high axle load top-lift equipment; trailers fed the units to and from a one-over four Rubber Tired Gantry stacking area.

    • Employed to undertake a preliminary design study for back land options at Puerto Nuevo Container Terminal, San Juan, Puerto Rico.  The scope of work also included estimations of the potential magnitude of settlement under the new loading.

    • Retained by PLIPDECO to provide alternative designs for berths 1-4 at the terminal, Trinidad.  The scope also included preparation of construction documents.

    • Appointed through SAMADA Consultants to undertake the design of the back land development for a new terminal at Gordon Cay, Port of Kingston, Jamaica.  This included the production of drawings and specifications and undertaking a life cycle cost analysis.

    • Employed by American President Lines (APL) to develop a rehabilitation scheme for Globe terminal, Keelung, Taiwan. This is an inland container storage yard associated with the nearby port and is operated by APL.

    • Advised the holding company of a small group of UK ports on three potential acquisitions of complementary small ports on the East coast, producing consolidated financial projections and identifying possible cost-savings and operational synergies.