When Bill Dubbs joined Black & Veatch earlier this year, he stepped into a global engineering powerhouse. For a seasoned ports and waterfront specialist with two decades of waterfront infrastructure engineering experience, the shift was dramatic. And it presented a unique opportunity: bring deep maritime expertise into a company eager to strengthen its presence across the port sector.
Today, Black & Veatch is moving decisively in that direction. Although the company is widely recognized for major work in energy, water and critical infrastructure, ports historically represented only a modest slice of its business. That dynamic is changing. With a global workforce of 12,000 and counting, a rapidly expanding solutions footprint and a renewed focus on coastal and maritime clients, Black & Veatch is positioning itself to become a major partner to port and maritime clients that are looking to modernize their infrastructure.
A full-service partner for ports
At its core, Black & Veatch provides comprehensive engineering services — but the company’s capabilities extend far beyond traditional plans, specifications and estimates. Black & Veatch also provides infrastructure advisory services to help its clients develop sound strategies for managing infrastructure, including strategic, asset management and technology consulting services that are backed by strong engineering and technical expertise. With its own construction arm, Black & Veatch offers alternate delivery methods such as design-build and engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) for select projects. For ports, this means that Black & Veatch offers expertise across the complete project lifecycle, from strategy to engineering and construction and on through asset management. This provides ports with a flexible partner that can help them implement and manage critical port infrastructure to sustain and enhance business operations.
The firm’s portfolio touches nearly every aspect of waterfront infrastructure engineering. Under that umbrella, Black & Veatch’s services include:
- Marine civil and structural engineering;
- Dredging and sediment management;
- Port electrification, including electrical infrastructure upgrades and charging systems;
- Inspection, condition assessment and asset management;
- Program and construction management;
- Environmental assessments and permitting;
- Stormwater, potable water and sanitary sewer systems engineering and asset management;
- Resiliency planning and hazard mitigation assessments;
- Grant-writing assistance, delivered by in-house specialists.
In short, Black & Veatch provides a 360-degree offering for ports looking to modernize, decarbonize and prepare for long-term growth.
A clear value proposition for ports
When asked what he would say to a port executive looking for support, Dubbs didn’t hesitate: “We work with ports to identify opportunities for improvement and modernization. We assess the condition of existing facilities — structural, functional, electrical, environmental — and help develop a program that keeps those facilities relevant and working for present and future business needs. And we help ports stay aligned with industry trends in maritime transportation, decarbonization and resilience.”
Dubbs is looking forward to participating in the upcoming Association of Pacific Ports Conference. With opportunities for associate members to introduce themselves, meet port leaders, share expertise and build trust, the event serves as a catalyst for deeper collaboration.
“I’m excited,” Dubbs said. “It’s exactly the kind of environment where purposeful connections happen.”
