Posted on April 6, 2017
By benashton, KentLive
Specialist work vessels have arrived at the Port of Dover to begin dredging the harbour as part of its redevelopment.
The £120 million Western Docks Revival (DWDR) project will see a new marina pier erected and the building of a new cargo terminal, as well as shops, cafes and bars on the seafront.
VolkerStevin and Boskalis Westminster (VSBW) have joined forces to carry out the works and have now started the first stage of the process to remove soft sediment.
‘Important milestone’
Approximately one million cubic metres of silt, gravel and chalk will be removed from the harbour to allow for the transformation – other boats such as tugs and survey vessels will also be operating within the harbour to help.
Stuart Eckersley, project director for VSBW, said: “Starting the main dredging activities marks an important milestone for the project. We will be seeing a range of specialist vessels operating in the harbour from Boskalis Westminster’s extensive dredging fleet.”
The port expects to welcome up to 20 different vessels over the next eight weeks as it enters the harbour dredging phase prior to the piling process.
‘Visible sign of commitment to deliver’
Jack Goodhew, from the Port of Dover, said: “The start of the preparatory dredging works for DWDR is another visible sign of our commitment to deliver this strategic infrastructure development, identified by the government in its National Infrastructure Delivery Plan as a priority for port capacity investment.”
Port chiefs have predicted the pier will be open by December 2018, while shops, bars, cafes and restaurants will be added to the marina at a later date, with initial services expected to be pop-up shops and stalls.
For the latest DWDR animations, illustrations and project plans visit doverport.co.uk/DWDR.
Source: KentLive
