NEW MEMBER PROFILE
One team worldwide Baird’s expanding role in Pacific ports Founded in 1981, Baird set out to do something distinct: concentrate exclusively on coastal and marine engineering.
F rom a three-person office in Ottawa, Canada to a globally recognized coastal engineering firm with 14 offices in six countries, W.F. Baird & Associates Ltd. (www.baird.com) has grown steadily over the past 45 years, all while maintaining a constant mission — to deliver innovative, practical and effective science-based solutions to complex problems wherever water meets land with profes- sionalism and dedication. According to Dave Anglin, a Principal and Senior Coastal Engineer based in Ottawa and 44-year vet- eran with Baird, and relative newcomer Chris Thomas, Associate Principal and Senior Marine Engineer based in Tacoma, Washington, membership in the Association of Pacific Ports (APP) reinforces Baird’s technical commit- ment and long-term engagement with the Pacific maritime community. It also reflects a strategic commitment to the region’s maritime future. The Pacific basin faces aging infrastructure, climate resilience pressures and evolving trade and defense requirements. With offices surrounding the Pacific Ocean (Sydney, Australia; Anchorage, Alaska; Vancouver, Canada; Tacoma, Washington; and Santiago, Chile), Baird is well positioned to serve clients throughout the region. Founded in 1981, Baird set out to do something distinct: concentrate exclusively on coastal and marine engineering. That focus has never wavered. The firm does not design buildings or broad civil works; instead, it concentrates on ports, harbors, marine terminals, breakwaters, flooding and erosion mitigation, coastal processes, and risk and resilience related to coastal hazards. Now with roughly 135 staff, that clarity of purpose has helped establish an international reputation built on tech- nical excellence and client service. Frequently acting as the prime consultant and engineer of record, Baird often partners with other firms and coordinates multidisciplinary teams as required to meet the unique challenges of specific projects. The company’s model is flexible: prime consultant, subconsultant, owner’s engineer, or part of a design-build or EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) team — whatever it takes to deliver a successful project! Pacific momentum Baird has been involved in a wide range of coastal and marine infrastructure projects over the past 45 years along the west coast of the Americas (Alaska, Canada, continental US, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Peru, and Chile), the
Dave Anglin, Principal and Senior Coastal Engineer / Chris Thomas, Associate Principal and Senior Marine Engineer.
east coast of Australia and in Hawaii, Papua New Guinea, and the Philippines. Their most recent undertaking in the Pacific is the $563-million Apra Harbor Waterfront Repair (AHWR) project in Guam, with Baird being the designer of record for comprehensive repairs to the 85-year-old Admiral Glass Breakwater. The project came to Baird through long-stand- ing industry relationships and collaboration with Black Construction (a Guam-based subsidiary of the Tutor Perini Corporation, in a joint venture with NAN) and reflects Baird’s strengths in coastal and marine infrastructure design and construction-phase support. This multi-year project, expected to run into 2029, is a cornerstone project in the Pacific and a gateway to further regional opportunities. As engineer of record, Baird was responsible for field studies, numerical and physical model- ing, final designs, plans and specifications. The design work was completed in 2025 and construction is now ramping up, with Baird engineers providing full-time on-site representa- tion as the work advances. The AHWR project aligns with a broader strategic focus on U.S. Navy and Pacific-region infrastructure. Guam serves as a critical hub for the U.S. Navy, but broader regional decen- tralization efforts — modernizing and rehabilitating legacy
18 — PACIFIC PORTS — March 2026
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