Super Typhoon Kong-ray, which made landfall in northern Taitung County on October 31st, 2024, did significant damage to Port of Hualien’s eastern seawall. In light of the importance of this structure to port safety and operations, the Hualien port authority will be directing major repairs on the seawall in a manner that does not compromise its functionality during project work and strengthens structural resilience against high-velocity wind and wave damage.

Port of Hualien’s eastern seawall rests on a foundation of 75 caissons. While this foundation survived the typhoon unscathed, significant damage was done to the seawall’s wave-break wall and platform surface over a length of 1,291 meters, with the section between 0k+497 and the light pole at the entrance to the seawall completely blocked to pedestrian and vehicle access. Also, a jetty beacon along the seawall was damaged by dislodged sections of the concrete wall.

In implementing this critical basic port infrastructure project, project managers will be expected to carefully consider weather and sea-related conditions and port administrative requirements; project workers and their equipment will need to respond and relocate in timely response to typhoon and flood warnings; and contractors will need to carefully control project work quality, on-time scheduling, typhoon and flood rapid response measures, and workplace safety issues. Therefore, due to the challenges a winning contractor will face in executing this project, in reviewing proposals, the consideration and selection process will focus on selecting the most-advantageous bid proposal rather than the “lowest bid” offer.  

Port of Hualien is currently preparing the invitation-to-bid package. The project work schedule will commence when sea and weather conditions are favorable, and all project work will be expected to be completed by the end of July 2026.

In line with TIPC and national carbon reduction and circular economy policies, concrete rubble resulting from this project shall be reused either onsite or in designated land reclamation projects. Also, the winning contractor shall take necessary measures to protect the surrounding ecology, conduct necessary supplementary surveys, and reserve a certain amount of concrete rubble for placement along the rubble-mound toe to provide sea life additional coverage to live and spawn.