Ports and Marine Infrastructure

Ports face rising costs, compressed grant timelines, and complex federal reviews that can delay critical improvements.

GFT helps port agencies move projects from planning through construction. We support funding strategies, environmental and federal coordination, infrastructure design, and construction management, while keeping projects eligible, approved, and buildable. Our teams help infrastructure owners implement improvements that support safe, efficient operations while maintaining active facilities and meeting regulatory requirements.

Integrated Solutions Advancing Ports

From funding through construction, GFT helps ports reduce delivery risk and keep complex projects moving.

Multimodal, Marine & Rail Infrastructure Design
GFT provides architecture and engineering design for terminals, berths, rail connections, and intermodal facilities, coordinating marine and landside systems. Our designs support capacity needs, safe operations, and promote constructability, while accounting for permitting constraints and active port environments.
Port Asset Management and Capital Planning
We support informed investment decisions with a clear understanding of existing assets. GFT helps ports assess conditions, identify risks, and prioritize improvements. We develop capital programs that align operational needs, funding opportunities, and long-term maintenance, providing a defensible basis for grant applications and phased delivery. We design with operational continuity in mind, minimizing disruptions during the construction process.
End-to-End Project Delivery and Construction Management
GFT supports delivery through constructability reviews, design-build readiness assessments, stakeholder coordination, and construction management. Our teams help ports manage risk, resolve issues early, and maintain schedules, supporting smoother implementation in active, operational settings.

Funding Strategy and Grant Support
GFT helps ports identify applicable federal and state programs, develop competitive grant applications, and prepare technical documentation that demonstrates readiness. After grants are awarded, we support compliance, reporting, and agency coordination, helping clients meet requirements, maintain eligibility, and keep projects on schedule and within budget.
Environmental Permitting and Federal Coordination
We navigate the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and environmental requirements with clarity. GFT coordinates permitting strategies, prepares required documentation, and manages agency reviews to reduce delays and uncertainty. Our experience working directly with federal and regulatory agencies helps ports align project design with approval pathways and maintain momentum through complex review processes.

“Completion of the Wando Terminal Container Yard Improvements projects enabled our terminal to accommodate increased containerized cargo volumes while improving terminal safety through reconfigured traffic patterns and improved signage and pavement markings. GFT was extremely responsible, knowledgeable, and demonstrated professionalism.”

South Carolina Ports Authority

Leadership Team

Jesse Lindsay, PE

Ports & Marine Market Sector Leader

Email Jesse

Gus Fotinos

Vice President, Ports & Marine

Meet Gus

Ports Industry Snapshot

$270+ Million

Secured Federal Funding for Port Infrastructure Projects Nationwide

$3+ Billion

EPA Clean Ports Program Funding Supporting Emissions Reduction and Modernization

12-14 Months

Typical Federal Permitting Timeframe for Port Projects

70+%

Port Delays Linked to Landside Congestion and Intermodal Constraints

Frequently Asked Questions

What factors influence marine structural design?
Design decisions are driven by site conditions, vessel demands, environmental forces, regulatory requirements, and constructability. We optimize structural systems to balance strength, durability, and performance, thereby supporting safe operations, phased construction, and long-term maintenance in marine environments.
What makes marine infrastructure design more complex than landside design?
Port and marine design must account for water conditions, vessel loads, environmental forces, and constructability in and adjacent to water. These factors require specialized analysis and detailing beyond typical landside infrastructure to deliver safe, durable, and operational facilities.
How can existing marine infrastructure be incorporated into new port projects?
Integrating existing infrastructure beings with detailed condition assessments and structural analysis. We identify where docks, piles, and foundations can be reused or strengthened, reducing cost and construction impacts while delivering designs that meet current codes, safety standards, and operational demands.
How does berth design address larger vessels and changing cargo demands?
Designs evaluate vessel loads, berth geometry, and structural capacity to accommodate current and future fleets. This approach allows ports to support evolving cargo demands while minimizing the need for major reconstruction.

How can we improve coordination where rail, trucking, and marine operations intersect?
Improvement starts with integrated planning across modes. We evaluate freight flows, identify bottlenecks, and design coordinated solutions that enhance connectivity, safety, and efficiency at critical land-water interfaces.
What’s the best way to plan projects that span both land and water infrastructure?
Successful delivery requires early coordination across engineering, environmental, and permitting teams. Integrating marine and landside design with NEPA and USACE coordination helps reduce risk, streamline approvals, and maintain project momentum.
When should ports begin asset management planning?
Asset management should begin early, before capital programs are developed. Proactive planning enables ports to understand conditions, prioritize investments, enhance grant applications, and mitigate costly surprises during project delivery.
How can our port improve its chances of securing federal grant funding?
Strong applications start with early planning, clear project needs, and alignment with federal priorities. Our team identifies opportunities, develops competitive narratives, and prepares technical documentation that demonstrates readiness and long-term value.