Abstract: Reliability calibration hereby means the analysis of the structure reliability designed according to the specifications, which is an analysis of the safety level of structures specified by the specifications. Because the sub-coefficient design method adopts uncertainty of the variables in designing coefficients, the designed structure has better reliability consistency in comparison with adoption of a single safety factor method, and therefore it is more reasonable. Based on the revised Code for Design of Dry Dock (Hydraulic Structures) (JTJ 252-87), the reliability of stability for the counterforted quay wall is calibrated and the sub-coefficients are designed in this paper. As a result, the anti-sliding and anti-overturning stability reliablity indexes designed have been presented for the counterforted quay wall, and the expression and the suggested values of sub-coefficient in verifying anti-sliding and anti-overturning stability for the counterforted quay wall have been given. The analysis results show that the anti-sliding and anti-overturning stability reliability indexes designed for the counterforted quay wall, in accordance with the Code for Design of Dry Dock (Hydraulic Structures) (JTJ 252-87), are expressed as 3.1 and 3.8 respectively. And based on this verification result and level of safety, the resistance factors in the sub-coefficients of the expression calculating the anti-sliding and anti-overturning stability of the counterforted quay wall would be taken as 1.00 and 1.30 respectively. The analysis and calculation results mentioned above can provide a reference for modifying the existing dry dock design specifications