Military Projects
Tutor Perini-Nan JV Wins $331M Navy Contract to Repair Guam Breakwater
The three-mile-long breakwater protects Apra Harbor, a critical deep-water port for the US military.
Photo courtesy Tutor Perini
The U.S. Navy selected a joint venture of Tutor Perini Corp. and Nan Inc. to repair a breakwater at Naval Base Guam damaged last year when Typhoon Mawar hit the U.S. territory, the contractors and Navy announced in October. The contract has a base price of $330.6 million, but contract options could raise its value to about $560 million if exercised.
The 3-mile-long Glass Breakwater bounds the northern side of Apra Harbor, which is used both by the military and the Port of Guam. It helps protect against tides, currents and storm surge. But it “suffered major damage” during the typhoon and is now classified as failed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, according to Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Marianas. The breakwater is at risk of breach during another strong storm, Navy officials say.
“If that [breakwater] breaches, the inbound and outbound traffic going to Arpa Harbor will not be allowed to go in,” Vice Admiral Jeffrey Jablon said during a Senate subcommittee hearing in May. “That includes our submarines, our Navy surface ships, our submarine tenders that are stationed there. So it’s vital to operations in Guam.”
The Category 4 typhoon struck Guam in May 2023 with sustained winds of 130-140 mph, 72 in. of rain and storm surge of up to 12-14 ft, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
At the Senate hearing in May, Jablon said the typhoon “did a lot of damage to our critical infrastructure.” At the time, he estimated the cost of the breakwater repairs at $600 million, and repairs to a helicopter squadron hangar at $580 million. U.S. Air Force officials also testified about facing high costs for repairs after the storm.
The five-year contract’s scope is focused on three of the most critically failed portions of the breakwater, according to NAVFAC Marianas, which awarded the contract Oct. 12. Given future funding for the other contract options, it could include repairing the structure’s full length.
Design is underway now, with the aim of starting in-water work next August and completing work by July 2029.
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“This project will provide critical infrastructure improvements that will strengthen our resilience against natural disasters and support the livelihoods of our residents,” said Capt. Troy Brown, NAVFAC Marianas commanding officer, in a statement.
The Sylmar, Calif.-based joint venture of Tutor Perini and Nan, named TPC-NAN, is one of five Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program (SIOP) multiple award construction contract holders, according to NAVFAC Marianas. Tutor Perini said in a statement that its Guam-based subsidiary, Black Construction Corp., will manage work on the project. Black previously completed a smaller repair project on a portion of the Glass Breakwater in 2013.
The typhoon and subsequent repairs come amid a push to build up the U.S. military’s presence on Guam. On Oct. 30, Granite announced that NAVFAC had selected it for a $42-million design-build contract for sitework and infrastructure for missile warning and defense systems at Naval base Guam. That work is scheduled for completion in August 2026.
