Stornoway Port Authority has just released the latest update on the Deep Water Terminal development project.
Works undertaken in April include:
• Installed final tubular piles at linkspan quay,
• Continued placing blasted rock behind the quay walls,
• Started attaching the tie rods to the quay walls,
• Rock crushing to create 5,000 m3 of gravel material for the surface of the reclamation area,
• Laid water supply pipe alongside access road.
Sub-contractor Breedon is crushing rock blasted from the site for use as a gravel surface material on the reclamation area.
The crusher takes large boulders and turns them into stones of no more than 75mm diameter. This will be spread over the reclaimed material and will form a hard wearing surface.
Also, work will start this month on construction of the berthing dolphin.
This is located 60m to the south of the main quay. It measures 15m x 16m on plan and will allow vessels over 300m long to berth at the main quay.
The berthing dolphin is a concrete deck support on steel piles driven into the seabed. The installation of the piles is complex as they are packed tightly together, and some are installed at an angle.
It will be connected to the main quay by a metal walkway, supported on two intermediate piles.
The first stage of work involves installation of 16 steel piles into the seabed. This will be done from a floating barge, the Wilcarry 1711. The workboat Coastbuster II will provide support for this operation.