As a result of a change to the widespread use of less robust materials such as reinforced concrete and steel piles commencing around 100 years ago, a lot of the UK’s port infrastructure is now at a tipping point.
A2 Maritime Ltd founder David Tresidder looks at the recent increase in the number of significant failures occurring, with some shocking examples of failures including:
- Change in use of a granite blockwork wall causing loss of blocks over time resulting in eventual catastrophic collapse of the wall.
- Bollard failure resulting from corroding bolts that were hidden from inspection by a fender panel
- Microbiologically induced corrosion in a steel wall resulted in underwater holes and loss of the fill. The ground behind showed no signs of the potential collapse
- A change in passing vessels resulted in scour occurring where previously an equilibrium existed, undermining the foundations of a quay wall
- Unchecked concrete reinforcement corrosion resulted in a catastrophic wall collapse after several weeks of significant movement.
As the UK ports industry faces an ever-increasing risk of infrastructure failures, the need for a considered and smarter approach to the ongoing monitoring and maintenance of our assets is clear.
Drivers and trends
There is an underlying trend of increasing vessel sizes, resulting in larger berthing and mooring forces as well as the need for deeper berths. The rate at which port assets are degrading is accelerating.
UK ports have a long history of having to reinvent themselves with frequently changing cargo and usage. Brexit and the changes to the vehicle and power generation industries are just the latest drivers for change and the need to adapt the often aging port infrastructure.
The drive towards Net Zero and the new Biodiversity Net Gain requirements for new development mean that reuse of the existing infrastructure have many previously overlooked benefits.
UK port capacities generally meet or exceed demand, and with limited market growth, efficiency competition between operators to retain their market share is strong. Maintenance and replacement of port infrastructure is often considered an unaffordable luxury.
So with much of the UK port infrastructure in critical condition and current market constraints, many ports find themselves in a difficult position and it is not surprising that there is an increase in the number of failures occurring.
Insurance, inspection and maintenance
While safety is always the key concern, it is worth noting that typical insurance policies will exclude normal wear and tear. Asset owners/operators can find themselves with an uninsured loss as it is often possible to prove wear and tear as a probably primary cause, especially where there are limited records of maintenance or condition assessments.
Port owners/operators apply disparate approaches to asset management. In some cases, durable and non-critical assets are being unnecessarily inspected. More common is the lack of a good quality benchmark by which to assess degradation rates and develop a maintenance strategy.
Each asset is unique and an assessment in terms of age, usage, materials, environment and condition is required to optimise an asset management plan. The more thorough the initial information is, the more informed the risk assessment will be. This will, in turn, determine how appropriate the future inspection regime, maintenance plans and budgets are.
At A2 Maritime, we offer a holistic consultancy service including above and below water qualified engineer inspections using the latest (where appropriate) technology and in-house diving engineers to provide our clients with appropriate inspections.
We then develop bespoke asset management strategies. For example, a very old wall is most likely still standing because it is a robust structure. Its age therefore often offers reassurance of future performance and is not the risk that many perceive it to be. Inspection frequency can be significantly reduced and our clients reduce their costs with the reassurance that it is also the right strategy that meets their needs.
Monitoring
To extend the life of an asset while also controlling risk, it is necessary to monitor it. Each asset needs a unique monitoring strategy. This could be a survey every 20 years at one end of the scale, or real-time monitoring with alarms and action plans at the other.
Digital twins and artificial intelligence providing informed optimisation can offer significant benefits, but they are only as good as the data on which they are based. The harsh maritime environment taking its toll on sensors means the more technologically advanced options frequently have a way to go before they are truly cost effective.
In summary
The requirement for maintenance, re-purposing or replacement of much of the UK’s port infrastructure is increasing as assets degrade and uses change.
With limited ability for the industry to invest, it is critical that good quality, thorough inspection and maintenance records are kept. These will enable informed decisions to be made and acted upon, significantly improving safety and decreasing the potential of uninsured wear and tear being determined as the probable cause of a failure.
Knowing the assets’ condition and establishing the mechanisms and rates of degradation allow for smart asset management strategies to be developed. With careful asset management, the life of port infrastructure can be significantly extended. Where appropriate, technology can be used to provide ongoing smart monitoring including the use of real-time systems and digital twins.
David Tresidder has 28 years’ experience specialising in maritime engineering and heavy civil infrastructure design and project delivery for ports, harbours and maritime structures, including jetties, ports, harbours, marinas, slipways, floating structures and river/flood defence projects. Tresidder has founded maritime infrastructure engineering consultancy A2 Maritime Ltd, which has teamed up with A-Squared Studio Engineers to deliver maritime projects.
www.a2-maritime.com
