It will cost the Port of Coupeville more than $500,000 to repair the wharf substructure, according to an engineering report.

Kelly LaFave with Marine Structures Engineering, Inc. reviewed an assessment the port commissioned and says the work can be broken down into multiple phases.

“I’ve addressed the most critical repairs first as well as trying to consolidate repairs to one portion of the pier at a time,” LaFave wrote in an email to the port.

If the port went with a five-phase plan, which would cost about $100,000 each phase, it would push the cost to an estimated $523,800. Broken into two phases, the cost would be $517,000.

“There are some serious issues at the wharf,” said Commissioner Mike Diamanti. “The port isn’t going to be acting on this immediately, but we have to act on these issues at the wharf because they’re critical.”

An inspection of the Coupeville Wharf done late last year shows part of the structure has settled about 2 inches due to rotting piling caps. The study, funded with county-awarded rural development funds, shows that of the 248 piles supporting the building, 38 of the piles have significant damage.

The foundational issues for the wharf are also causing problems for the building itself. Damon Stadler, Facilities Maintenance Manager, said that the piling caps rotting out are causing about a 2-inch sag on one side of the wharf.

Stadler told the commissioners during a regular meeting last week that the port will need to figure out how to address the issues.

The wharf is also in need of a new fire suppression system. Currently, the staff is conducting daily maintenance on the system to patch leaks and maintain adequate pressure in the system.

The cost to replace the system is $4,000-$5,000, said Executive Director Forrest Rambo. As with most port facilities projects, the port will looking at funding options.