Products
FRAME provides insights, not just information; excellence, not just experience; and quality, not just qualifications. Founder Michael Vanderbeek has worked for a wide variety of clients around the world to deliver dozens of port consulting products. The products highlighted below represent a small sample of Michael’s portfolio of work and are intended to illustrate the breadth of his experience. Since FRAME is a startup founded in September, 2026, all work below was completed under contracts awarded to Michael’s previous employers. We highly value integrity, so the name of the firm holding the contract at the time the contract was awarded is identified, as is the role that Michael played in delivering each product to the client. We encourage you to contact our client references to better understand our product delivery capabilities and how FRAME can add value to your organization.
Port of Hueneme PACED Program Management
Beginning in October, 2022, Michael Vanderbeek assisted staff at the Oxnard Harbor District (District) with development of a grant application to the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) under the Port and Freight Infrastructure Program (PFIP). As both project manager and port operations subject matter expert (SME) under this $50,000 contract, Michael’s role included drafting an integrated narrative and overseeing independent benefit-cost analyses for a total of 15 capital projects. Together, these projects comprise the District’s Port Action, Climate, and Environment Development (PACED) initiative. This effort resulted in a successful award of $80 million to the District by CalSTA. Following notice of award, Michael and his team were hired under a separate five-year, $1.65 million contract to oversee administration of the District’s $80 million PFIP grant, including funding agency compliance and reporting, integration with Federal funding sources (i.e. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Maritime Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce) and third-party professional services procurement. This contract was augmented by more than $400,000 in July, 2026, bringing the total contract value to approximately $2.1 million over five years. Michael served as Project Director for this contract between April, 2024 and September, 2026.
Client name: Oxnard Harbor District
Client location: Port Hueneme, CA
Client contact: Christina Birdsey, Chief Operating Officer
Contract value: ~$2.1 million
CAPEX: ~$150 million
Michael’s role: Project Manager/SME/Lead Author (PFIP grant application); Project Director (program
management support)
Contract holder: GHD
Port NOLA Strategic Master Plan Update
In January, 2025, Michael Vanderbeek worked with Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) staff to kick off a comprehensive update of the Port’s strategic master plan. Originally known as Port NOLA Forward, this plan challenges Port NOLA and its broader community of stakeholders to think more cohesively about how to best position both the port and the City of New Orleans for future growth and economic success. The four guiding goals set during plan development included:
- Operate efficiently
- Capitalize on gateway position
- Strengthen relationships and connect stakeholders
- Develop sustainably
As Project Manager, Michael led the 2025 update process. This effort included an existing facilities evaluation and capacity assessment, development of a trends and progress report and preparation of updated future demand forecasts for all Port NOLA lines of business, including cargo (containers, bulk, break-bulk), cruise and real estate. The team was simultaneously contracted to complete a rail master plan for the New Orleans Public Belt (NOPB) railroad and a comprehensive economic impacts assessment to be integrated into the 2025 update. Due to Port NOLA leadership team turnover, and at the request of the client, the full scope of work for this project was not completed.
Client name: Port of New Orleans
Client location: New Orleans, LA
Client contact: Anthony Evett, Vice President of Engineering and Facilities (former)
Contract value: >$500,000
CAPEX: N/A
Michael’s role: Project Manager/SME
Contract holder: GHD
Port of Oakland Sustainability Management Plan
Beginning in September, 2025, Michael Vanderbeek provided support to the Port of Oakland as part of a consultant team led by RS&H. Michael’s role in developing this multi-year Sustainability Management Plan has been port operations SME. He has assisted with industry stakeholder and supply chain partner data collection, sustainability categories and organizational options development for the client and its terminal operators and review/generation of baseline energy and emissions documentation from a maritime operations perspective. Future tasks under this contract as of September, 2026, include: co-developing seaport sustainability measures, targets and KPIs; co-developing a long-term, multi-phase implementation plan for the Port of Oakland and its terminal operators to review and adopt; and providing capital planning and policy recommendations to the client via RS&H.
Client name: Port of Oakland
Client location: Oakland, CA
Client contact: Colleen Liang, Director of Environmental Programs and Planning
Subcontract value: ~$300,000
CAPEX: N/A
Michael’s role: SME
Contract holder: RS&H
Nassau Container Port Master Plan
Between December, 2019 and June, 2021, Michael Vanderbeek led a comprehensive master planning effort for Nassau Container Port located on New Providence Island in the Bahamas. The scope of this plan for the principal container port serving the Bahamas included:
- Define the scope of work for the client
- Develop 10-year containerized, dry bulk, break-bulk and ro/ro cargo forecasts
- Develop physical site/civil plan options for client review and evaluation
- Evaluate opportunities to generate an on-site solar-powered microgrid
- Prepare draft and final master plans for presentation to the Nassau
- Container Port Board of Directors and the Permanent Secretary of the Prime Minister of the Bahamas
- Provide QA/QC for all deliverables, including all draft and final reports, graphics, presentations, and other documents
Client name: Arawak Port Development
Client location: Nassau, Bahamas
Client contact: Dion Bethell, Chief Executive Officer
Contract value: ~$250,000
CAPEX: ~$25 million
Michael’s role: Project Manager/SME
Contract holder: Bermello Ajamil & Partners
Port of Benicia Facilities and Infrastructure Modernization Plan
In October, 2024, Michael Vanderbeek was engaged to develop a Facilities and Infrastructure Modernization plan (FIMP) to serve as a roadmap for infrastructure improvements, investments and modernization to revitalize the Port of Benicia as a key part of the City of Benicia’s Priority Production Area. Originally built to support U.S. Army operations during the first half of the 20th century, many of the Port of Benicia’s core assets have exceeded their useful service lives. As part of the FIMP, Michael oversaw an existing conditions assessment focusing on the port’s structural, mechanical and electrical systems. His core responsibilities also encompassed conducting detailed 15-year market assessments across break-bulk, ro/ro, project and general cargos, assessing facility capacity, preparing an infrastructure needs (gap) assessment and developing decarbonization and resiliency pathways. Based on these analyses, Michael prepared a multi-year $700 million + capital improvement plan (CIP) and associated funding plan that identifies a total of 15 capital projects ranging from pier repair and replacement projects to stormwater management and resiliency enhancements to road and transportation network improvements. This planning effort also included preparation of an initial study/mitigated negative declaration (IS/MND) document for public review and City Council certification as well as updates to the City’s industrial design guidelines.
Client name: City of Benicia
Client location: Benicia, CA
Client contact: Sarah Shawky, Deputy City Manager
Contract value: ~$750,000
CAPEX: ~$700 million
Michael’s role: Project Manager/SME
Contract holder: GHD
Port Everglades 2018 Master/Vision Plan Update
Between May, 2018 and August, 2020, Michael Vanderbeek led a comprehensive port master planning effort for the largest (by revenue) seaport in Florida. The scope of work included overseeing the development of 20-year cruise, container, liquid bulk, dry bulk, break-bulk and ro/ro cargo forecasts; defining future throughput targets, capacity constraints and berth/backland requirements for each line of business; recommending a completely new road network to mitigate existing traffic congestion in the Southport container area; and developing a comprehensive, scenario-based financial model for the client including expected CAPEX, OPEX, revenue and EBITDA for each project. The final master/vision plan was integrated into a countywide coastal management plan to satisfy Florida statutes. As part of the master planning process, Michael personally conducted dozens of workshops, charettes and public presentations to hundreds of local stakeholders across Broward County. As Project Manager, Michael was responsible for producing and providing thorough QA/QC for all draft and final deliverables, including the scripting and production of a marketing video, which was translated from English into Spanish, Portuguese and Mandarin (Chinese).
Client name: Broward County (Port Everglades Department)
Client location: Broward County, FL
Client contact: Glenn Wiltshire, Deputy Port Director
Contract value: ~$925,000
CAPEX: ~$3 billion
Michael’s role: Project Manager/SME
Contract holder: Bermello Ajamil & Partners
Port of Hueneme Climate Action and Adaptation Plan
Between March, 2024 and March, 2026, Michael Vanderbeek served as Project Manager for delivery of a 50-year Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP) for the Port of Hueneme in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy. Key elements of this CAAP included:
- Identify, describe and characterize/categorize existing physical assets (i.e. channels, berths, piers, jetties, terminals, buildings, storage facilities, energy assets, utilities, outfalls, road/rail assets, gates, harbor craft, cranes, cargo handling equipment (CHE), fleet vehicles, etc.)
- Conduct a climate science review and industry benchmarking
- Develop GIS-based inundation maps for the entire port jurisdictional area
- Conduct a comprehensive vulnerability assessment for all on-port assets (stationary and mobile)
- Prepare detailed decarbonization and resiliency strategies/pathways
- Present project deliverables to stakeholders for input/feedback
- Develop and deliver draft and final CAAP documents
Client name: Oxnard Harbor District
Client location: Port Hueneme, CA
Client contact: Giles Pettifor, Director of Sustainability and Environment
Contract value: ~$475,000
CAPEX: ~$25 million
Michael’s role: Project Manager
Contract holder: GHD
Yap and Palau Port Modernizations
Beginning in June, 2023, Michael supported a port planning effort during a 10-month period for two separate commercial ports in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM)—Yap and Palau. This work, completed under a multi-million dollar federal contract, involved assessing existing port assets and operations to make a determination of minimum viable waterside and landside facilities and infrastructure characteristics based on historical and projected future cargo volumes. Michael led efforts to assess operational impacts associated with construction phasing and made siting and sizing recommendations for new port assets.
Client name: U.S. Department of Defense
Client location: FSM (Yap and Palau)
Client contact: confidential
Contract value: confidential
CAPEX: >$1 billion
Michael’s role: Port Planning SME
Contract holder: GHD/COWI
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Clean Ports Program Support
Beginning in October, 2025, Michael Vanderbeek supported implementation of three separate Clean Ports Program grant awards—including both CAQP and ZE Tech awards—for the following clients:
- Port Freeport (TX)
- Port of Bellingham (WA)
- Oxnard Harbor District (CA)
Michael’s role supporting each of these clients included serving as Project Director as well as port operations SME. Services provided across all three grant implementation contracts included program management, QA/QC, marine terminal decarbonization, coastal resiliency planning, energy resiliency planning, emissions inventory/monitoring, stakeholder and subrecipient coordination, community outreach and workforce development.
Client name: Port Freeport/Port of Bellingham/Oxnard Harbor District
Client location: Texas/Washington/California
Client contact: Jason Hull (Port Freeport)/Adrienne Douglass-Scott (Port of Bellingham)/Giles Pettifor (Oxnard Harbor District)
Contract value: ~$1.8 million (combined)
CAPEX: >$50 million (combined)
Michael’s role: Project Director/SME
Contract holder: GHD/GHD/Build Momentum
Saudi Port Investment Strategy
From December, 2019 until August, 2021, Michael Vanderbeek led a multi-disciplinary team in developing expansion concepts and conducting preliminary technical assessments for 10 seaport locations within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan. As part of this complex scope of work, Michael oversaw development of regional and site-specific market assessments to identify near-term and long-term demand potential for each location. He spent collective months in-country conducting numerous site visits with client and technical teams and held multiple in-person and virtual meetings with stakeholders, including investors, security personnel, operators, regulatory agencies and others. The purpose of these site visits was to develop a comprehensive assessment of the commercial and technical adequacy of existing marine and landside infrastructure at each location and prepare a detailed gap analysis for each site as a tool for prioritizing future investments. As port planning SME for this multi-year engagement, Michael also developed a detailed scenario-based financial model for the client showing expected CAPEX, OPEX, revenue and Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA) for each expansion project. As Project Manager, Michael defined the pre-contract scope of work with the client, oversaw and provided QA/QC for all deliverables, and procured third-party in country support for technical studies including: geotechnical and topographic surveys; bathymetric surveys; marine environmental (benthic) surveys; and initial dredging estimates (quantity and cost).
Client name: confidential
Client location: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Client contact: confidential
Contract value: ~$2 million
CAPEX: >$2.5 billion
Michael’s role: Project Manager/Port Planning SME
Contract holder: Bermello Ajamil & Partners