A pair of Charleston-area metal fabricators has started construction of steel structures that will support the renovation of a research ship pier along the Cooper River for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Keel Holdings — formed by the merger of Goose Creek-based Pegasus Steel and Metal Trades of Yonge’s island — is building a 360-foot floating pier, a 160-foot gangway, an 80-foot trestle and a buoyancy box for NOAA’s Pier Romeo in North Charleston.
Keel, which also includes Michigan’s Merrill Technologies Group, will build the structures in Yonge’s Island and Ladson.
A new pier and other improvements at NOAA’s outpost in North Charleston will serve research vessels Ronald H. Brown (above) and Nancy Foster.
Wes Struble/NOAA/Provided
The work is part of a $60 million project headed by Seattle-based Manson Construction Co. that’s scheduled for completion in 2026. It is being paid for with funds from the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act. Keel’s part of the project, scheduled for delivery in October 2025, is valued at $16.4 million. A groundbreaking was held in July.
Reconstruction of the pier and other upgrades will give NOAA’s Charleston-based research vessels — the Ronald H. Brown and Nancy Foster — a designated place to dock as they are conducting missions in the Atlantic Ocean.
“The Pier Romeo replacement project is off to a great start, which is a direct result of the collaboration and teamwork of the entire design-build team,” Matt LaRue, Manson’s project manager, said in a written statement. “Metal Trades’ work quality and commitment to meeting schedule milestones have allowed fabrication to commence on time and within budget.”
Keel, a division of venture capital firm Arlington Capital Partners, was formed to build parts for defense projects like next-generation U.S. Navy submarines and aircraft carriers. Its barge-accessible waterfront site in Yonge’s Island provides access to the Intracoastal Waterway and “affords us a unique competitive advantage for building large steel modules and structures,” Brian Carter, the company’s CEO, said in a written statement.
All told, the project will include demolition work and construction of a new pier that includes shoreside power for ships, as well as a warehouse, seawall and other supporting infrastructure.
“This pier and facility are integral to safe and efficient research ship operations in the area,” Nancy Hann, NOAA’s deputy undersecretary for operations, said in a written statement. “Our ships cannot efficiently complete their critical work without safe and reliable shoreside infrastructure.”
NOAA’s 15 ships are managed and maintained by the agency and operated by NOAA Corps officers and civilian mariners.
They range from large oceanographic research vessels capable of exploring the world’s deepest oceans to smaller surveying ships responsible for charting the shallow bays and inlets of the U.S. The fleet supports a range of marine activities, including fisheries surveys, nautical charting and ocean and climate studies.
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Publish date : 2024-09-05 23:00:00
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