Posted on May 4, 2026
We don’t think it is an exaggeration, but for the residents and visitors of the British city of Portsmouth, and in particular the beachside district of Southsea, a trip to the seafront will never be the same again. Over the past six years, Boskalis Westminster Ltd. – in a joint venture with VolkerStevin – have been working on the largest coastal protection project ever undertaken in the United Kingdom. The result: a well-protected city with an award-winning promenade and a greatly widened beach where residents can enjoy themselves as soon as the temperature starts to rise.
Although the joint venture’s work will continue in the coming period, Boskalis has carried out various activities in recent years, including the installation of rock revetment on the embankment and the dredging of over 600,000 cubic meters of sand for new beaches. The trailing suction hopper dredgers Sospan Dau, Strandway and Gateway were deployed for this purpose. The latter vessel recently dredged the final cubic meters of shingle and placed it on Southsea beach. This activity could be seen perfectly from the shore with an even more spectacular view on the pier and the residents clearly appreciated the spectacle, which shows how important the work has been. We will remain involved with the joint venture as our partner continues to work on the remaining civil engineering activities over the next two years.
We would like to thank Coastal Partners and Portsmouth City Council, our JV partner and the whole integrated delivery team for the pleasant cooperation over the past years and wish them every success with the remaining work in which Boskalis Westminster also plays a role. We would also like to thank all the site staff and the crews of our vessels for the work they have done to transform Southsea into a truly prime location.
