Heavy Marine Construction & Barge-Mounted Pile Driving
When the structure is a working terminal, the piles are large-diameter, and the facility can't shut down while you build — that's heavy marine construction, and it's where the DLS fleet earns its name. High-capacity crane barges led by Big Thunder, supported by tugboats and material barges, self-perform the Gulf Coast's biggest over-water scopes.
What we do
DLS builds and repairs marine terminals, docks and heavy waterfront infrastructure: barge-mounted pile driving (including large-diameter pipe pile), structural steel erection over water, mooring dolphin installation, bridge support construction, concrete marine structures, conveyor and loading structure repair, and marine demolition. We sequence marine spreads so operating facilities keep working while construction proceeds.
Equipment we bring
Big Thunder anchors the heavy work, with Big Ort and Splash covering versatile and specialized lifts, tugboats handling positioning and tows, and pile-driving hammers, rigging and support equipment staged from our yard at the Port of West St. Mary. Spec sheets for every unit are on the Equipment page.
Recent work
Recent heavy marine work includes large-diameter pile driving and dock structure construction at a Mississippi River terminal, executed from the Big Thunder spread while the facility remained in operation.
Safety on every job
Heavy lifts are engineered in advance, executed by qualified operators and riggers, and covered by job safety and environmental analyses — under the behavior-based program that has produced zero recordable incidents since 2018 (see Safety).
FAQ
What is heavy marine construction?
Heavy marine construction is large-scale over-water work — terminals, docks, heavy pile driving and major structural installation. DLS self-performs it with high-capacity crane barges like Big Thunder, supported by tugboats and material barges.
Does DLS drive pile from the water?
Yes. DLS drives pile from barge-mounted cranes for terminals, docks and marine structures — including large-diameter pipe pile at river terminals — with engineered lift plans and experienced barge crews.
Can DLS repair existing docks and terminals?
Yes. DLS repairs and upgrades working docks, terminals and conveyor structures, sequencing marine spreads so facilities can keep operating while the work gets done.
Ready to scope your next project?
Call (337) 924-7444 or send us the details — we'll come back with equipment, crew and a timeline.
Safety Record
- 0.0TRIR (2021–2023)
- ZeroRecordables since 2018
- Stop WorkAuthority for every employee
