Sladdens Pier, in Lowestoft, UK, protects the Trawl Dock at the Port of Lowestoft, England’s easternmost port.
The work was carried out by Red7Marine, which was contracted to install a sheet pile wall using 100 sheet pile pairs spanning a length of 140 metres.
Using its 250t deck capacity Haven Seariser 3 jack-up barge, equipped with a 35t excavator, Red7Marine carried out two dive surveys and removed several timber piles, concrete and metal.
Piling activities then began with the flat top barge Haven SeaStabler, from which steel piles were lifted onto the jack-up barge piling gate then vibrated into the river bed using a variable frequency piling hammer.
“Pile installation progressed from north to south and required several large barge moves in total on the northern side of Sladdens Pier,” said the firm. “The barge was also positioned on the inside of the Trawl Dock for the final section of pile wall to reduce impact on the main navigational channel into Lowestoft. When all sheet pioles were installed to design level, capping beams were installed across the top of the recently driven sheet pile wall.”
Lowestoft Port is owned by Associated British Ports (ABP), which says the port is playing a vital role in enabling offshore energy generation in the area and that it is investing to develop the outer harbour and the wider port.