The infrastructure is part of the £850,000 replacement of X berth, the commercial berth used by medium-sized passenger ferries such as Islands Unlimited and Manche Iles Express.
Two newly manufactured steel piles were installed last month and this week the piles, which have been fully refurbished by Guernsey Ports, are being craned back in, with the aim of the berth being operational from April.
‘These two piles were lifted out the water in December and taken to our workshops in St Sampson’s where they have been grit-blasted, re-coated and strengthened,’ said project civil engineer Joe Armstrong.
‘We are using our mobile crane to lift the piles into position, before securing them to newly constructed steel supports within the New Jetty structure.
‘Doubling the number of piles enables us to accommodate a sturdier, purpose-built pontoon system, which will provide better access for passengers and crew, and more stable berthing in all weather conditions.’
The steel piles are about 14m long and each weigh four tonnes.
They will help to keep the new commercial pontoon in place.
In October, the previous berth, which was originally designed for Condor hydrofoils, which were phased out in the mid-1990s, was decommissioned after 30 years in service.
Installation of the pontoon system is due to start this week, followed by the connection of a permanent self-levelling gangway, and the installation of electrical bollards on the pontoons, which will provide shore power for berthed vessels.
‘The reconstruction of the X berth is an important investment in our harbour facilities, replacing ageing infrastructure for decades to come,’ said acting harbour master James Way.
‘Persistent bad weather over the winter has been our biggest challenge, however we are confident the new berth will be fully operational by early April, ready to support a busy summer of ferry schedules.’
You need to be logged in to comment. If you had an account on our previous site, you can migrate your old account and comment profile to this site by visiting this page and entering the email address for your old account. We'll then send you an email with a link to follow to complete the process.