The Port of Tyne has appointed the main contractor for the £25 million extension of Riverside Quay, the Port’s multifunctional deep-sea facility at South Shields.
The main contract for over 300m of quay work includes a 125m quay extension, an upgrade of 118m of existing quay and 90m of quay wall renewal at the former McNulty site. The £18.6 million contract was won by Tyneside-based Southbay Civil Engineering Ltd who will start construction this month.
This development is required to support the growth in cargo volumes being handled by the Port, including the relatively new wood pellet imports used by power stations as they convert from coal to renewable fuels.
Andrew Moffat, Port of Tyne Chief Executive Officer , said: “ On the back of growth in volumes over the past few years we are investing in new infrastructure to make sure the Port is able to meet the needs of both our existing and our future customers. This is the biggest single investment we have made since we built Europe’s first purpose-built wood pellet facilities back in 2010 and it will significantly increase the Port’s capacity to handle increased volumes of cargoes. Extending the length of the quay will increase the berthing capacity by almost 20% enabling up to four large cargo ships to berth simultaneously.
“If we are successful in achieving our plans the added capacity provided by the extension of the quay would deliver new jobs and would add around £2 million to the regional Gross Value Added each year.
“I am delighted that a North East based company won the tender against international competition. The project itself could have a major impact in the region – during construction it will add £14.8 million to the local economy.”
Enabling work began in June last year with nearly £3 million invested in underwater preparatory works and internal roads built within the Port to reduce construction traffic outside and minimize disruption for nearby businesses and residents.
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Press Release