Coastal Assets Strategic Importance 
Ever since ancient Ugarit, the first international port, economic prosperity has relied upon coastal trade and industry. Economists have long held that there is a striking relationship between World Gross Domestic Product and international, overseas trade. Each year $1.5 trillion in trade cross U.S. borders alone, the bulk of which arrives by sea. Changes in the current economic environment, the rapidly changing landscape of emerging markets, and the volatility in world energy demand continue to highlight the strategic importance of coastal regions to world growth and stability.
Risks and Challenges 
There continues to be an increasing trend in global trade, despite periods of economic contraction, requiring continual development of additional infrastructure to increase transactional capacity. Natural disasters, terrorist threats, climate change, economic uncertainty, and impact footprint are all factors that can affect the operations of coastal assets such as container and products terminals. Detailed, proactive analysis and mitigation strategies are required to accurately assess and manage risks to operations in an economical feasible manner.
Our consultants have worked in industry, with trade associations and consortia, as government regulators, and for contract research organizations, giving us unparalleled expertise with solving complex engineering, regulatory, commercial, and scientific problems. Most of our consultants have been working in the field of chemical regulation, energy, and environmental and eco-sciences for more than 20 years. Combined with the extensive operational experience of our staff, Exponent is uniquely positioned to offer you a full and complete service.
Our services include:
- Natural disaster risk assessment: wind and flood
- Building and structural analysis
- Construction material selection and performance
- Insurance and mitigation planning
- National Coastal Zone management analysis and eco-system assessment
- Environmental regulatory compliance
- Port development review: O&M, capital and maintenance dredging
- Emergency response planning and analysis
- Bulk liquid terminaling
- Transport of oil and oil products by barge and tanker
- Transportation network analysis and contract review
- Technical due diligence for mergers/acquisitions and infrastructure expansion
- Pipeline and blending facility O&M
- Loss management and prevention
- Environmental and safety compliance
- Environmental site remediation
- Risk communication
- Environmental, health, and safety management systems
- Risk mitigation and sustainability review
- Environmental impact and stakeholder analysis
- Waste management and site remediation planning and review
- Marine operations: cargo handling and vessel traffic
- Port security and regulatory compliance
- Supply chain assessment and contract evaluations
- Competitive analysis and benchmarking
- Economic impact evaluation and cost structure analysis