Portland Port berth improvement to commence

The Board of Portland Port has approved in principle the deepening of the seabed level from eight metres to 11 metres either side of the 1952-built Queen’s Pier outer arm at Portland Port in Dorset.

To achieve the desired 11-metre depth, a major project must be undertaken to ensure the inherent strength of the berth is maintained. The project will hence involve sheet piling either side of the berth.

Once the sheet piling is in place on either side of the berth, dredging can then begin.

At the same time, the berth will be extended by the construction of a new mooring dolphin, resulting in a facility for berthing vessels up to 230 metres long with draughts up to 10.5 metres.

The project is due to begin in the New Year and has been subject to a full competitive tendering process. The successful tender came from CMP Thames of Ringwood, which will design, manage, and construct the installation by the end of June 2019.