Starting this month, IMCO General Construction, Inc. will begin work on a $2.55 million upgrade project at the Port of Everett’s South Terminal to strengthen the wharf to support roll-on/roll-off (Ro/Ro) cargo operations. This major infrastructure investment, made possible through a grant from taxpayers of Washington State, will strengthening 140-feet of the 700-foot dock to create a “heavylift” pad in the northwest corner of the wharf. Work is expected to be complete in May 2015. “It is critical that we continue to make necessary capital investments in our seaport to ensure our facilities are world-class,” said Les Reardanz, Executive Director/CEO for the Port of Everett. “Moving high value, heavy cargoes is what we do. We are committed to meeting and adapting our facilities to support and grow our customer base.” Upgrading the South Terminal is vital in the Port’s ability to support the machinery, heavy equipment and other breakbulk cargoes that are regularly imported and exported through the international terminal. Paired with the Port’s recent investment to construct a Ro/Ro cargo berth at South Terminal in 2013, the strengthened wharf will have an immediate impact on the Port’s ability to more efficiently load and unload cargo from some of the largest Ro/Ro vessels in the industry. The Port is also working to develop its rail infrastructure to improve regional freight mobility and rail loading at the seaport. In 2015/2016, the Port will invest approximately $10.2 million in rail upgrades to add 650 lineal feet of new rail track at the northern end of the seaport, rehabilitate and extend the South Terminal rail spur and construct a double rail siding of approximately 3,600 lineal feet of on-terminal track. This will provide the capacity necessary to move more cargo out by rail rather than truck. The wharf was originally constructed in the 1970s with a working load capacity of 500 pounds per square foot (psf). This project will double the strength of the dock, bringing the working load capacity to 1,000 psf.