Fresh Fish Meets Fresh New Piles 

Editor: Allison Braswell 

Overlooking Aunt Lydia's Cove in Cape Cod, Mass. is Chatham Pier Fish Market, where guests can enjoy classic New England cuisine as they watch fishing boats unload the day's catch next to the on-site picnic tables. In addition to the locally caught salmon, halibut, and tuna, this take-out seafood market is known for its lobster rolls and clam chowder that people like to bring on their waterfront dates at the pier. 

But it is not just patrons of the best fish market in Chatham who take in views of the bay at the Chatham Fish Pier. In the summer, around 3,000 people a day visit the observation deck above the pier to see boats, seals, and other marine activity gracing Chatham Harbor. Starting in 2013, however, visitors have reported shakiness when using the deck. Meanwhile, the south bulkhead of the pier had not been replaced in over 40 years, and the tide had begun to pull out filler from the holes in the bulkhead. On one occasion, an excavator dredging around the dock collapsed through the concrete pad on the south side, which made replacing the aging bulkhead a higher priority to town officials. 

To make the town's most-visited site safe again, MAS Building & Bridge was awarded the $5 million job of rebuilding the bulkhead at the south side of the fish pier as well as reconstructing the observation deck, stairs, and pedestrian walkway near the wharfinger's office. After the new steel bulkhead was built, the contractor poured a concrete cap to encompass the bulkhead and help preserve its durability. With this enhancement, fishermen can expect better working conditions for unloading fish at the commercial fish pier. The freshly-placed steel and timber piles of the pier's design handle more weight and require fewer support columns, creating less obstacles for workers. Additionally, water-tight decking will prevent debris from leaking down between the boards onto areas where fish are being processed. The remodeled observation deck is also being doubled in size so that it is more accessible for people with disabilities and more visitors overall. 

For installing new fender piles in front of the bulkhead, an ICE® 28D Vibratory Driver/Extractor equipped with a Model 55 Combination Clamp is being used to drive Greenheart timber piles--a wise choice of timber for saltwater and freshwater applications. Timber piling made of treated wood from Southern Yellow Pine trees is the most popular option as it is less expensive, but it may be a bigger investment in the long run because these piles need to be replaced more frequently as a result from wear-and-tear and corrosion. On the other hand, a tropical hardwood found in the South American rain-forests of Guyana and Suriname, called Greenheart wood, is what creates more high-quality, durable piling. Often used in high-end marine construction, Greenheart piling is about four times stronger than pine and requires no chemical treatment because it is biologically immune to decay and marine borers such as Teredo worms. In this case, the new Greenheart piles for the Chatham Fish Pier are expected to last over 50 years without developing any structural defects. Please note that Greenheart is not listed as being endangered by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendices. 

International Construction Equipment, Inc is excited to see their USA-made deep foundation products enhance one of the best coastal sightseeing opportunities in the country. Thank you to MAS Building & Bridge for relying on ICE® equipment to help bring Bay Staters' seafood dinners from the boat to their plate! 

Learn more about the ICE® 28D and Model 55 clamp. 

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Vice President IT and IT Comm 
ICE® - International Construction Equipment, Inc    
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Email - marketing@iceusa.com