UMaine’s Darling Marine Center, a marine research and higher-education facility established in 1960, required critical upgrades to its aging waterfront infrastructure. The project included replacing the 50-year-old main pier, modernizing the campus’s flowing seawater system, and upgrading supporting utilities—all while the facility remained fully operational.

The seawater system serves as the backbone of the center’s research operations, supplying hundreds of gallons per minute from the Damariscotta River to laboratories, classrooms, and research tanks. Careful sequencing and coordination were required to tie in new systems without disrupting ongoing research, coursework, or live-organism studies.

Construction took place adjacent to active laboratories and waterfront research areas, requiring close collaboration with faculty, students, and facility staff to maintain safety, minimize disruptions, and preserve uninterrupted access to vessels and dock facilities.