Mobilization is the only activity in the first year of the Eureka Runway Recapitalization project site in the Arctic, as the ice isn’t thin enough to break through until late August. The entire fleet must be on the cargo ship and travel timed perfectly to meet up with the icebreaker, as the Coast Guard schedule cannot vary. By the time the fleet is unloaded and facilities are set up, winter is looming and work stops until spring. By June, snow should melt enough to allow excavation and crushing of material for the runway reconstruction the following spring and work can continue for up to four months before winter arrives again. If all goes well, the remaining excavation and crushing will be completed in the third year. If not, the fleet will sit, frozen in, until yet another spring arrives. Demobilization presents all of the same logistical challenges as were seen on the way in.
What makes it interesting?
The location of the runway is just a hair south of 80 degrees latitude and is never completely ice free in the fjords of Ellesmere Island in Nunavut, Canada. The two major commercial shipping companies serving Canada’s north have never been to Eureka. Only the Coast Guard icebreakers service Eureka, with one trip per year. Pre-bid inspections and detailed site photos were not available due to the challenges of accessing the area.
How HCSS Software assisted with this project
HeavyBid helped Nuna win this job as they were able to evaluate multiple schedule and risk-mitigation options efficiently. Nuna could categorize the different types of costs and assign contingencies and markups effectively. They were also able to price in compacted volume but think and plan in loose volume.
