Connecting communities through maritime design

One project that had a significant impact on my career was developing a master plan for a port client in South Australia. Unlike many engineering projects where we're brought in to solve a specific technical issue, this project required a broader strategic perspective.

This was the plan for the use of a land parcel adjacent to the existing container terminal that was undeveloped. I visited the site and interviewed a range of internal stakeholders to get their views and feedback on the best uses for the site. I consolidated these viewpoints, alongside my professional expertise, to coordinate the development of master plan options, including the recommendation of a preferred layout for container handling and warehouse development. 

What made the project especially rewarding was seeing the recommendations progress beyond a plan. Funding was approved, development moved forward and construction commenced. It demonstrated how a well-considered master plan can unlock the potential of underutilised land and create long-term value.

Strong partnerships play a key role in letting us get involved in different types of projects but also gives our partners access to the depth of Haskoning’s technical expertise. For both sides of the partnership, this helps us to be confident in our recommended designs, as well as giving clients confidence that our solutions are practical, innovative and with cost effective construction costs.

One of our long-term partnerships is with Pacific Marine Group and we’ve been able to collaborate on a range of challenging projects as their trusted advisor. Most recently, we’ve been working together on a project on Lord Howe Island to provide a marine facility for a purpose built RoRo vessel adjacent to an existing 30+ year old timber structure that is reaching end-of-life. This project has had several challenges including a remote location, significant environmental protection considerations, exposure to extreme weather events, and community design preferences. Our partnership with Pacific Marine Group has gone a long way towards helping us work collaboratively through these issues to design and construct a more resilient infrastructure that meets the community desire for less visual impact and a longer (50 year) anticipated lifespan.

One of the biggest advancements I’ve seen in my career so far is the adoption of BIM 3D modelling, which Haskoning now uses on most of our projects. Clients really appreciate the way it lets them get a better sense of the look and feel of a design, and it also helps us to identify and resolve potential issues earlier in the design process. Seeing the benefits of this modelling technology means that I’m excited about developments in AI and other new tools, and how they will shape what we do.

The other big trend that I’m seeing is more of a shift to taking a circular economy approach to our designs, especially as clients look to manage and repurpose ageing infrastructure. There’s a growing trend towards taking an asset management approach, with clients wanting to invest more in maintenance and rehabilitation to extend the design life and reduce capital expenditure.

Related to this is also the number of marine and maritime developments that are focused on repurposing environments. Sydney Harbour is the key example for this, as the government continues its investment in changing harbourfront land use from industrial to waterfront developments and public use.

I'm particularly excited by how ports and waterfronts are being transformed to meet changing community needs. Across Australia and the Pacific, we're seeing opportunities to revitalise underutilised spaces, improve connectivity and create infrastructure that delivers lasting value for future generations.