Harwich International Port Relocates Berthing Pontoon
In order to accommodate the recently extendedStena Line ro-pax Stena Britannica (MJ April) and near sister vessel StenaHollandica, which serve the Hook of Holland route twice daily, HarwichInternational Port has moved the berthing pontoon at their dedicated berth by25m to the east of its previous location.
The pontoon, which carries road traffic onto the vessels’ bow loading ramps, is held by restraint piles that are 2.25m in diameter by 45m long. They are driven 18m into the sea bed.
The design has made use of the existing linkspan bridge positioned on
a new concrete abutment. This necessitated alterations to the sea defences and repositoning of the sea defence gate to the requirements of the UK Environment Agency.
The Port’s civil engineering manager Dean Tatum explained that all the necessary consents from the EA, DEFRA, councils, etc were obtained smoothly in less than 10 weeks.
The work, which started in October 2006, required a harbour works licence from Harwich Haven Authority but was not subject to a harbour review order.
The development by HIP, which is part of Hutchison Port Holdings Group, a subsidiary of the multinational conglomerate Hutchison Whampoa Limited, followed the announcement by Stena Line of the winding up of the ‘Stena Discovery’ HSS service last Autumn. It was because of Discovery’s withdrawal that the two ro-pax vessels were extended to carry extra passengers and vehicles.
An additional berthing dolphin has been constructed to accommodate the 241m long vessels with a 39m long , 2.25m diameter monopile and a link bridge for the mooring gang to access it.
However, although the two vessels are now the same length, offering 4,100 lane metres for freight traffic, they are not sisters. The Stena Britannica is the fourth vessel to carry that name, replacing the
Hollandica’s twin sister in 2003, and their passenger door positions are different, so a new high level passenger walkway had to be built with a carriage that can be aligned with both door positions.
The new gangway takes passengers directly from the ferry terminal departure lounge to Deck 7 of the Stena ships, which is where the reception area is, rather than two decks below with the previous arrangement.
Nine piles comprise the foundations for the gangway support that mechanically lifts up and down with a ball and screw mechanism and an electric motor in each pile.
The walkway was due to be delivered from the Spanish makers last month.
By Graeme Ewens
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