Port of Kalama - CHS, Inc.

The project in Kalama on the Columbia River is intended to improve ship loading capacity and efficiency, allowing the 1960s-era facility to operate with greater efficiency. It includes new dock structures for ships and barges, new ship loaders and barge un-loader, shipping bins (to hold pre weighed and cleaned ship loads of grain), a new rail receiving system,  conveying systems, in addition to associated utility, site and building improvements.

The Approach

We are assisting CHS in management and coordination of the project, initially focused on getting CHS' requirements confirmed and aligning the efforts of multiple engineering consultants. As requirements were validated and the design progressed, focus has shifted to maximizing the value of the project while allowing for future flexibility.

In support of the planning and design, Faithful+Gould provided a project master schedule and cost estimating services for significant portions of the project construction costs. Cost estimates provided by other team members were compiled into a new master project budget.

Dave Stark is managing these efforts out of our Minneapolis office. He has found the project to be both challenging and rewarding so far.

He explains, "Having a large and diverse group of people including two owners and five engineering firms all with their own goals and level of experience on this type of project added to the tricky regulatory environment of the Pacific Northwest has had its challenges, but am I really enjoying working for CHS again, having done projects for them 15 years ago while with another firm. The whole project has been a bit of a reunion for me working with some people I have known for more than 20 years."

The Outcome

Currently, we are in the process of finalizing the bid packages and anticipate a late spring construction start with completion of the whole project slated for January 2014.