The director of the department of environmental management may, after the acquirement by the state of any property, tide-flowed lands, flats, terms, easements, privileges, littoral, and riparian rights of any owner or owners, either by purchase or by process of law, proceed to fill, improve, reclaim, and use any or all of the lands, may build and construct wharves, piers, bulkheads, slips, docks, and basins, and dredge, improve, and deepen the channels and approaches thereto, and for these purposes may request the division of purchases to make contracts for the filling and improvement of the property and lands and for the construction of the wharves, piers, bulkheads, slips, docks, and basins, and may, from time to time, employ such persons as may be necessary in the work of filling and improving the property and land, and the construction, repair, and maintenance of the improvements and structure thereof, and when any wharves, piers, bulkheads, slips, docks, and basins shall have been completed by the director under the provisions of this chapter and shall be open to the public use, the director may establish, publish, and regulate the rates and charges for the wharfage, cranage, and dockage of all vessels admitted thereto, and may alter such rates and charges from time to time as the necessities of trade shall require and authorize, and as to the director may seem proper.