The UK’s Portland Port is investing £26 mill in a major berth development.
Portland has received all the necessary permissions to carry out this project, the port authority claimed.
This will involve the replacement of the existing deepwater berth (DWB) by a new extended berth. The work will also include a 74 m extension to the solid quay face of the current primary cruise berth – the outer coaling pier (OCP).
Once complete, the development will see a new DWB with a 250 m solid berth face, including a suite of new 150 tonne bollards and with 12 m water depth alongside, capable of handling cruise ships up to 350 m long.
In addition, OCP will be extended to become a 250 m solid berth face with 11 m water depth alongside.
Overall, the project will offer 16,000 sq m of additional quayside space and will be capable of handling two 350 m long cruise ships alongside simultaneously.
Alex Hayes, Portland Port’s Landside General Manager, who is overseeing the project, commented: “This is a key investment for the port and demonstrates our commitment to the continued development of our infrastructure.
“The project has taken a lot of time and planning to take it from its initial conception though to implementation. There is still a lot of work to be done before the project is complete, however the outcome will be a milestone for the port and its future,” he said.
During the tender process, pre-qualifications were sent out to 20 applicants. Knights Brown was appointed managing contractor with Ramboll undertaking the design work as principal designer.
Ramboll has used its previous experience in the design of quay walls to minimise the amount of steel required, as well as maximising the use of locally available rock.
Piling work was awarded to Red 7 Marine. This company and the port have worked together before, during the construction of the two new dolphins at OCP in 2017.
Along with Red 7 Marine, local contractors Barrett Electrical, D&M Groundworks, ESG Trading, Pipefix and Quest Marine will also be involved in supporting the project.
Preparatory work is already underway and, once completed, the development will have used 380,000 tonnes of locally sourced infill material and 4,800 tonnes of steel. Piling work is due to commence at the beginning of October with the both OCP and DWB being fully operational by 1st May, 2023.
The quayside’s initial surface finish will be temporary but heavy duty, to allow for settling, with the final surfacing work due to take place between October, 2023 and February, 2024.
Ian McQuade, Portland Port’s Commercial General Manager said: “This development will provide a major and significant enhancement to the port’s capabilities. The new facilities will enable Portland Port to keep pace with the increasing demands from our existing cruise and cargo customers whilst offering the opportunity for future growth.
“The size of vessels calling at Portland over the last number of years has continued to grow and this investment will enable our business to keep ahead of this trend. This is the largest investment Portland Port has ever undertaken and it is a resounding vote of confidence in the business by the company’s owners. The future looks very exciting for the port,” he added.
