Mr. Dennis Burns, presents “Proactive & Predictive Waterfront Asset Management – Port of Rotterdam Experience” at RPIC

Mr. Dennis Burns, Eng., M.Sc. presented “Proactive and Predictive Waterfront Asset Management – Port of Rotterdam Experience” at RPIC

On January 28th and 29th, the Real Property Institute of Canada (RPIC) hosted its very first National Workshop on Marine Infrastructure that took place in Montreal, Quebec.

“Whether it’s a cruise terminal in Nova Scotia, a fishing harbor in Newfoundland, a ferry installation in Quebec, a commercial port in Ontario, a recreational facility in Alberta or a naval base in British Columbia, the ultimate goal is common for all of those responsible for these assets: build and maintain safe and durable core facilities.”

Read more about the conference.

Today, with the aging of port infrastructure around the world, it is crucial to understand the current condition of these structures and adopt cost-effective strategies to repair and maintain them. Over the years, considerable work has been conducted on the mechanisms responsible for the deterioration of structures and how to report condition and performance. Recently, a new generation of deterioration models and risk-based management approaches, combined with GIS technology have seen the day and are used on projects to assist port owners and engineers in optimizing the use of available funds in keeping their ports as safe and competitive as possible.

Mr. Burns presented how the Waterfront Structure Management System (WSMS) is now at the heart of a world-leading port’s decision-making process. Attendees benefited from the lessons learned of a large port implementing such a system and appreciated the hurdles faced are similar in nature to what they can face in their own ports. The presentation took the attendee step by step in the thought process behind waterfront asset management and through the implementation phase all the way to the short and mid-term benefits and long-term vision.