Friday 18 May 2012
Work has begun on the £13.75 million refurbishment of the freight-handling facilities at St Peter Port Harbour.
The project is expected to take around two years, and includes the replacement of four of the five current harbour cranes with two new mobile units. Before these can be installed, extensive work is required on the freight handling berths they will be located on.
This involves replacing the concrete deck structure of one of the three existing berths, and repairs to the other two where corrosion has occurred to their undersides, supporting beams and columns. The refurbished berths will then have a design life of at least 50 years, and the cranes 25 years.
Separate contracts have been awarded to two companies to carry out different aspects of the construction works, and a third contract agreed for the supply of the cranes.
Civil engineering contractor Dawson WAM has been appointed to carry out the work on Berth 5, which involves the complete replacement of the current upper 'deck' level. Its first task is the installation of new cable ducts to provide the power supply to the freight handling areas. This phase has begun, and is expected to be completed in July.
The company will then demolish the existing concrete deck and construct a new one, along with a piled supporting structure. Once complete, the crane supplier will dismantle the two on Berth 5 ready for the delivery of the first new one, which is expected early next year.
Currently, the cranes handle more than 50,000 tonnes of freight a year, and are all at least 40 years old. Two of the units being replaced date back to 1965.
The new cranes will be equipped to operate on either diesel or electricity.
Contact information:
Jim Anderson, Projects Liaison Officer
Public Services Department
01481 234692
07781 108325
Jim.Anderson@gov.gg
