Master’s degree1,500 h · Online · 11 modules

Master's in Groin and Quay Construction

This master's offers comprehensive training in the design, construction and maintenance of key maritime structures: groins, jetties and quays. You will learn to take a project from metocean and geotechnical studies through the selection of materials, structural types and construction methods, using BIM and specialized software, and to manage risk, environmental requirements, costs, contracts and long-term maintenance so that you can lead port and coastal works efficiently and sustainably.

Duration1,500 h
ModeOnline
Start1 December
Modules11
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About the program

What is the Master's in Groin and Quay Construction?

This master's follows the full life cycle of groins and quays in the coastal environment. You will study structure types and project scope; wave climate, nearshore transformation, currents, water levels and littoral processes; marine geotechnical investigation, soil-structure interaction, ground improvement, liquefaction and scour; the design of rubble mound groins with armor layers, filters and concrete units, overtopping and toe stability; quay types on piles, sheet piles and caissons, berthing and mooring loads, fenders, bollards and marine durability; marine construction methods, equipment, metocean work windows, QA/QC, HSE and environmental control; cost estimating, scheduling, EPC and other contracts, claims and insurance; inspection, risk-based maintenance, rehabilitation and climate adaptation; and the digitalization of marine works with BIM, GIS, multibeam surveys and data traceability.

What sets this master's apart: it is built around construction as much as design, with real attention to constructability, equipment, logistics, work windows, production control and handover to operation; it treats groins and quays together, from coastal processes and armor stability to structural detailing and berthing systems; it covers the commercial side of marine works, including contracts, claims, risk allocation and insurance; and it closes with an integrated design and construction case followed by a Final Project in which you develop and defend a complete technical study.

Program typeMaster’s degree
ModeOnline
Duration1,500 hours
Modules11
Start1 December

Program highlights

  • Metocean design: wave climate, nearshore transformation, currents, extreme water levels and littoral processes.
  • Marine geotechnics: site investigation, foundations, soil-structure interaction, ground improvement and scour.
  • Groins and defenses: armor layers, filters, concrete units, overtopping, toe stability and nature-based options.
  • Quays: piles, sheet piles and caissons, berthing and mooring loads, fenders, bollards and marine durability.
  • Construction and management: equipment, work windows, QA/QC, HSE, contracts, claims, BIM and maintenance.
  • Integrated groin and quay case and a Final Project with a complete technical study.
Syllabus

Syllabus of the Master's in Groin and Quay Construction

11 modules. Select a module to see its content.

Module 1

Foundations of maritime engineering for groins and quays, project scope and construction life cycle in the coastal environment

  • 1.1. Types of groins and quays: function, geometry, configuration and selection criteria by use and site
  • 1.2. Marine environmental conditions: waves, currents, tides, extreme water levels and workability
  • 1.3. Performance requirements: capacity, safety, durability, maintainability and operational continuity of the asset
  • 1.4. Project life cycle: feasibility, engineering, construction, commissioning, operation and rehabilitation
  • 1.5. Interface management: navigation, communities, concessions, easements and coordination with authorities
  • 1.6. Risk management approach: hazard identification, ALARP, criticality matrices and mitigation plans
  • 1.7. Baseline data and surveys: bathymetry, topography, metocean and geotechnics for design and construction
  • 1.8. Technical specifications and acceptance criteria: tolerances, QA/QC and as-built documentation
  • 1.9. Constructability plan: access, logistics, stockpiles, sequences and operational constraints
  • 1.10. Case definition workshop: design brief, assumptions, constraints and cost-time-quality objectives
At this stage
136 hestimated workload
11 wkweeks at your pace
Module 2

Oceanography, hydrodynamics and coastal processes: design for waves, currents, sediment transport and structure stability

  • 2.1. Characterization of the wave climate: statistics, directionality, return periods and extreme events
  • 2.2. Nearshore wave transformation: refraction, diffraction, shoaling, breaking and effects on structures
  • 2.3. Currents, setup and setdown: forcing, local circulation and effects on maneuvering and erosion
  • 2.4. Tides and water levels: meteorological surge, combination of extremes and design level
  • 2.5. Coastal processes: longshore drift, cross-shore transport, erosion and accretion and morphodynamic response
  • 2.6. Structure-coast interaction: impacts of groins, sediment bypassing and mitigation of downdrift effects
  • 2.7. Hydrodynamic and morphological modeling: 2D and 3D approaches, calibration, validation and sensitivity
  • 2.8. Construction workability: metocean windows, shutdown thresholds and campaign planning
  • 2.9. Instruments and surveys: buoys, ADCP, tide gauges, multibeam bathymetry and data quality control
  • 2.10. Metocean summary for the works: design scenarios, uncertainty and input parameters for sizing
At this stage
136 hestimated workload
11 wkweeks at your pace
Module 3

Marine geotechnics and foundations: site investigation, soil-structure interaction and ground improvement for waterfront works

  • 3.1. Geotechnical campaigns: boreholes, CPTu, geophysics, laboratory testing and the site stratigraphic model
  • 3.2. Properties of saturated soils: consolidation, shear strength, creep and post-cyclic behavior
  • 3.3. Stability of slopes and fills: limit equilibrium, stability during construction and deformation control
  • 3.4. Foundations and support solutions: piles, sheet piles, caissons, slabs and capacity and serviceability criteria
  • 3.5. Soil-structure interaction in quays: earth pressures, differential settlement, compatibility and performance
  • 3.6. Ground improvement: preloading and drains, vibrocompaction, deep soil mixing, jet grouting and stone columns
  • 3.7. Liquefaction and earthquakes: hazard assessment, site response and applicable mitigation measures
  • 3.8. Scour and foundation protection: mechanisms, protection design and scenario-based verification
  • 3.9. Geotechnical instrumentation: piezometers, inclinometers, surveying, thresholds and the observational method
  • 3.10. Geotechnical risk management: contingencies, monitoring plans and change control for field findings
At this stage
136 hestimated workload
11 wkweeks at your pace
Module 4

Design and sizing of groins and defense works: armor layers, hydraulic stability and durability in service

  • 4.1. Types of groins: sloped, emerged and submerged, permeable, composite and selection criteria
  • 4.2. Sizing of armor and filter layers: stability, grading, layers, core and allowable damage criteria
  • 4.3. Armor units: rock, concrete blocks, Accropode and Xbloc, technical and economic selection and quality control
  • 4.4. Overtopping, run-up and safety: discharges, crest level, risk to people and protection of associated infrastructure
  • 4.5. Scour, erosion and toe stability: protections, mattresses, berms and storm verification
  • 4.6. Constructability of rubble mound works: tolerances, control of armor laying, access and materials logistics
  • 4.7. Rehabilitation and strengthening: diagnosis, crest raising, berms, renewal of units and life extension
  • 4.8. Nature-based solutions: artificial reefs, dunes, living shorelines and compatibility with groins
  • 4.9. Inspection and maintenance: damage indicators, post-storm surveys and scheduling of interventions
  • 4.10. Testing and validation: physical and numerical models, acceptance criteria and design robustness
At this stage
136 hestimated workload
11 wkweeks at your pace
Module 5

Structural and construction design of quays: types, loads, detailing and berthing and mooring elements

  • 5.1. Types of quays: piled, sheet pile, caisson, cellular and combined solutions
  • 5.2. Loads and combinations: berthing, mooring, residual waves, wind, earthquake, yard loads and terminal equipment
  • 5.3. Serviceability design: deflections, cracking, vibrations, settlement and operational criteria
  • 5.4. Marine durability: corrosion, chlorides, marine concrete, coatings and cathodic protection
  • 5.5. Fenders, bollards and fittings: berthing energy, configuration, anchorage and structural verification
  • 5.6. Associated pavements and yards: layers, drainage, bearing capacity and maintenance criteria
  • 5.7. Joints, details and constructability: tolerances, interfaces, sequences and quality control on site
  • 5.8. Instrumentation and testing: materials tests, geometric control and as-built acceptance
  • 5.9. Rehabilitation and strengthening of quays: techniques, operational constraints and phase management
  • 5.10. Integration with operations: maneuvering, pilotage, tugs, aids to navigation and metocean windows
At this stage
136 hestimated workload
11 wkweeks at your pace
Module 6

Marine construction methods, equipment and logistics: sequences, work windows and production control on site

  • 6.1. Planning marine works: access, stockpiles, transport, barges and supply routes
  • 6.2. Equipment and plant: cranes, pontoons, dredgers, pile drivers, vibratory hammers and armor laying equipment
  • 6.3. Construction of groins: advancing in lifts, layer control, tolerances and topographic and bathymetric control
  • 6.4. Construction of quays: piling, sheet piling, caissons, concreting in the marine environment and quality control
  • 6.5. Management of metocean windows: thresholds, stoppages, replanning and real productivity
  • 6.6. Production control and QA/QC: inspection and test plans, testing, nonconformance reports, release of work fronts and traceability
  • 6.7. HSE in marine works: critical lifts, work over water, lockout/tagout, fatigue and emergency plans
  • 6.8. Environmental management during construction: turbidity, spills, underwater noise and compliance monitoring
  • 6.9. Coordination with maritime traffic: temporary marking, notices, exclusion zones and communications
  • 6.10. Commissioning and handover: performance tests, acceptance, as-built, O&M manuals and transition to operation
At this stage
136 hestimated workload
11 wkweeks at your pace
Module 7

Cost, schedule and contract management in marine construction: EPC, claims, risks and quality assurance

  • 7.1. Cost estimating: CAPEX and OPEX, cost drivers, contingencies and sensitivity to metocean risks
  • 7.2. Scheduling and control: CPM, S-curves, productivity, constraints and interface management
  • 7.3. Contract types: unit price, lump sum, design-build, EPC and risk allocation
  • 7.4. Risk management: register, mitigation, triggers, reserves and contingency plans
  • 7.5. Contractual QA/QC: specifications, inspection and test plans, evidence, milestone acceptance and dossiers
  • 7.6. Claims and disputes: weather delays, variations, productivity, evidence and technical negotiation
  • 7.7. Change management: RFIs, submittals, nonconformance reports, concessions and configuration control
  • 7.8. Stakeholder relations: communities, maritime authority, concession holders and critical communications
  • 7.9. Insurance and liabilities: CAR and EAR policies, guarantees, limits and claims handling
  • 7.10. Project closeout and lessons learned: handover, punch list, performance and continuous improvement
At this stage
136 hestimated workload
11 wkweeks at your pace
Module 8

Operation, maintenance and resilience of groins and quays: risk-based inspection, rehabilitation and climate adaptation

  • 8.1. Failure modes in service: erosion, scour, corrosion, fatigue, settlement and storm damage
  • 8.2. Inspection and monitoring: visual surveys, bathymetry, structural health monitoring, corrosion and intervention thresholds
  • 8.3. Preventive and corrective maintenance: scheduling, criticality, logistics and operational continuity
  • 8.4. Rehabilitation and strengthening: crest raising, renewal of armor units, structural strengthening and emergency solutions
  • 8.5. Climate resilience: sea level, extreme waves, flooding and adaptation of crest levels and drainage
  • 8.6. Asset management: RCM, RBI, KPIs, backlog and OPEX optimization
  • 8.7. Operational safety: access control, signage, berthing conditions and emergency management
  • 8.8. Environmental management in operation: sediments, biodiversity, underwater noise and ongoing compliance
  • 8.9. Incident management and continuity: protocols, post-event damage assessment and recovery plan
  • 8.10. Maintenance master plan: prioritization, multiyear budget and asset improvement roadmap
At this stage
136 hestimated workload
11 wkweeks at your pace
Module 9

Digitalization of marine construction and works control: BIM, GIS, topographic and bathymetric surveys, traceability and data cybersecurity

  • 9.1. BIM and GIS for marine works: models, interdisciplinary coordination and change control
  • 9.2. Topographic and bathymetric control: multibeam, RTK, drones, tolerances and volume verification
  • 9.3. Materials traceability: quarries, batches, grading, testing and documentary chain of custody
  • 9.4. Productivity monitoring: digital daily reports, equipment OEE, downtime and performance analysis
  • 9.5. Digital QA/QC: electronic inspection and test plans, nonconformance reports, photographic evidence and release of work fronts
  • 9.6. Project data management: repository, metadata, versioning and governance of technical information
  • 9.7. Analytics for risk control: metocean data, alerts, prediction of stoppages and window optimization
  • 9.8. Integration with planning: 4D and 5D, S-curves, tracking and control of deviations
  • 9.9. Cybersecurity of project data: access, backups, integrity and incident response
  • 9.10. Digital roadmap for the project: adoption, training, ROI and change management on site
At this stage
136 hestimated workload
11 wkweeks at your pace
Module 10

Design-construction integration: complete groin and quay case, validation and commissioning

  • 10.1. Definition of the integrating case: scope, site, constraints, KPIs and acceptance criteria
  • 10.2. Compilation of baseline data: metocean, bathymetry, geotechnics and operational conditions for design and construction
  • 10.3. Preliminary design and constructability: alternatives, selection of structure type, sequences and logistics plan
  • 10.4. Sizing and verification: hydraulic stability, structural loads, durability and safety margins
  • 10.5. Construction plan: schedule, resources, metocean windows, QA/QC, HSE and environmental management
  • 10.6. Testing and commissioning plan: criteria, inspections, as-built, punch list and handover to operation
  • 10.7. Cost and risk assessment: CAPEX and OPEX, contingencies, sensitivity and mitigation plan
  • 10.8. Maintenance and resilience strategy: RBI and RCM, interventions, climate adaptation and operational continuity
  • 10.9. Final documentation and technical dossier: report, appendices, traceability, lessons learned and configuration control
  • 10.10. Case presentation: executive summary, technical justification, answers to the review panel and final recommendations
At this stage
136 hestimated workload
11 wkweeks at your pace
Module 11

Final Project

  • 11.1. Choice of topic and definition of the problem
  • 11.2. Formulation of objectives, hypotheses and scope of the work
  • 11.3. Review of the state of the art and specialized literature
  • 11.4. Analysis of the applicable regulatory and technical framework
  • 11.5. Design of the methodology and work plan
  • 11.6. Collection, processing and validation of data
  • 11.7. Technical development and analysis of results
  • 11.8. Discussion, conclusions and future lines of work
  • 11.9. Writing of the final report to the required standards
  • 11.10. Presentation and defense of the project before an evaluation panel
At this stage
136 hestimated workload
11 wkweeks at your pace
Plan your pace

Duration and format of the Master's in Groin and Quay Construction

It is 1,500 hours. Tell us how many you can study each week and we will tell you when you will really finish.

4 h30 h
With 12 h per week
29
months to finish
125 weeks
weeks in total

This is the pace at which most students finish. It fits well with the installment plan.

Faculty

Academic leadership and faculty

The Navalis teaching team: working professionals who teach and supervise the programs.

Dra. Marina AlcoverDr. Marina AlcoverAcademic Director and Head of Quality Assurance
Ing. Diego CifuentesEng. Diego CifuentesSenior Lecturer in Naval Welding and Non-Destructive Testing; Head of QA/QC for Welded Joints
Cap. Javier Abaroa (MCA)Capt. Javier Abaroa (MCA)Senior Lecturer in Ship Handling, Electronic Navigation (ECDIS/Radar/ARPA) and GMDSS; STCW Compliance and Bridge Resource Management Coordinator
Dr. Pau FerrerDr. Pau FerrerSenior Lecturer in Naval Architecture and Simulation; Director of the Hydrodynamics and CFD Laboratory
Dra. Nuria LlobregatDr. Nuria LlobregatSenior Lecturer in Marine Meteorology, SAR and Operational Safety; Navigation Risk Management Coordinator
Ing. Javier BañulsEng. Javier BañulsSenior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering, Automation and ETO Engineering; Electronic Integration and Engine Alarms Coordinator
Ing. Sofía MarquinaEng. Sofía MarquinaSenior Lecturer in Materials, Composites and Corrosion Protection; Coordinator of the Advanced Paints and Coatings Line
Ing. Tomás RieraEng. Tomás RieraSenior Lecturer in Propulsion, Alternative Energy and Hybrid Systems; Energy Performance and Vibration Coordinator
Objectives

Objectives of the Master's in Groin and Quay Construction

01Design resilient maritime structures, selecting innovative materials and construction techniques to limit corrosion and the impact of extreme weather events.
02Manage port projects efficiently, optimizing planning, execution and control with project management tools and agile methods.
03Improve the durability of coastal infrastructure, implementing erosion mitigation and corrosion protection strategies with materials and techniques suited to the marine environment.
04Lead multidisciplinary teams on marine works, encouraging effective communication and conflict resolution between specialists.
05Master advanced marine foundation techniques, assessing complex geotechnical risks, selecting suitable anchoring and support systems and supervising installation, including with ROVs.
06Assess and mitigate environmental risks in marine construction, implementing environmental management plans and evaluating the effectiveness of mitigation measures in every phase of the project.
Careers

Career opportunities after the Master's in Groin and Quay Construction

01Project engineerdesign and planning of groins and quays, including technical and economic feasibility analysis.
02Construction managermanagement and supervision of groin and quay construction, ensuring compliance with schedules, budgets and regulations.
03Technical consultantspecialist advice on the construction and maintenance of maritime infrastructure.
04Port infrastructure managerplanning, operation and maintenance of groins and quays in ports and coastal areas.
05Inspection and quality control specialistcondition assessment of groins and quays and quality assurance of materials and construction processes.
06Modeling and simulation specialistprediction of the behavior of groins and quays under different environmental and load conditions.
Frequently asked questions

Questions about the Master's in Groin and Quay Construction

A groin reduces coastal erosion by interrupting longshore sediment transport and promoting the accumulation of sand on its updrift side. The program also covers its side effects downdrift and how to mitigate them.

Construction, extension or rehabilitation of port and coastal infrastructure such as groins, jetties, quays, wharves, breakwaters, marine terminals and other coastal structures.

Yes. Full modules are dedicated to marine construction methods, equipment, logistics, metocean work windows, QA/QC, HSE and handover to operation, as well as to contracts, costs and claims.

Yes. The program covers BIM and GIS for marine works, multibeam and RTK surveys, materials traceability, digital QA/QC and 4D and 5D planning.

Civil engineers, architects and technical engineers, consultants and staff of construction companies, port and coastal authorities and recent engineering graduates who want to specialize in marine works.

Online, with real case studies throughout the modules, an integrated groin and quay design and construction case and a Final Project that you present and defend.

A Navalis Institute master's certificate and a complete technical study that you can use as a professional portfolio.

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Online admission

Admission process

No waiting for a call back. If your documents are in order, you can enroll in the same session.

Entry requirements
  • Profile: a degree in civil engineering, architecture or a related field, or demonstrable professional experience in marine construction.
  • Language: sufficient command of English to follow the classes and the technical documentation.
  • Technical resources: a computer with a stable internet connection, able to run the BIM, GIS and structural analysis software used in the program.
  • Admission: online application, review of your profile and a short interview with the academic team.
  1. 01
    Application
    Your details, background and documents.
  2. 02
    Instant review
    We check that everything is complete and in order.
  3. 03
    Enrollment
    Choose full payment or instalments and reserve your place.
Start my applicationFrom $1,404 deposit

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