ABP undertakes dredging at Southampton

This follows the announcement in December 2012 that the Marine Management Organisation had issued the necessary consents to undertake the works. The removal of 450,000m3 of material at Marchwood will widen the navigation channel by 30m, thus improving accessibility and manoeuvrability for container vessels.

The importance of the work for the port was underlined by the speed in which Boskalis Westminster was able to reposition its dredger, Manu Pekka, so that work could start immediately. Manu Pekka is a backhoe dredger fitted with an 8m3 bucket which can dredge to a depth of 18.5m. Four barges were mobilised from Malmo in Sweden to Southampton to begin their task of ferrying the material dredged by Manu Pekka to the licensed disposal site off the Isle of Wight.

Dave Herrod, ABP engineering project manager said: “The channel widening at Marchwood is the latest part of ABP’s planned investment to further improve the port’s ability to receive the largest container vessels, and we are pleased that Boskalis Westminster has been able to start work so quickly.”

In preparation for the dredging, ABP worked closely with Marchwood Yacht Club to agree suitable new locations for 17 of its 150 moorings. The new moorings have been located in deeper water in order to meet club members’ requirements to accommodate deep draught yachts. The work was due to be completed in March.