Cruise Control

Langan Supports Development of the World’s Largest Terminal

MSC Cruises officially set sail from its new location at PortMiami, making waves earlier this year with the opening of the world’s largest cruise terminal. The four-story, 490,000-SF Terminal AA can accommodate up to three ships and 36,000 passengers per day.

Langan’s Miami team came aboard the project long before Terminal AA opened to the public. By leveraging its knowledge of the site from previous work on adjacent cruise terminals and the neighboring PortMiami Tunnel, Langan provided an integrated mix of geotechnical, environmental, and survey services to this marquee project.

Due to its location on an artificial island with varying ground conditions, Terminal AA required a deep foundation system to support the structure. Langan’s solution included installing 1,500 piles and dredging 850,000 cubic yards of soil and rock to accommodate the colossal cruise ships, which raised questions about the safe disposal of those materials. To combat this challenge, the team conducted extensive environmental testing and successfully obtained a clean fill designation for the site, enabling the safe reuse of materials and avoiding the costs associated with exporting them to a landfill. Importantly, with Miami being a hurricane-prone city, the project team future-proofed the site by designing it to remain operational with up to three feet of sea level rise.

“While the project team evolved during the project’s development, Langan remained an integral part of the team throughout because of our positive working relationships with the players involved and our extensive experience at the site. said Rafael Pina, Associate, Langan. “We’re thankful for the opportunity to support such a historic, complex project in our beloved city.”