PRESS RELEASE
25 FEBRUARY 2011
PORTLAND PORT SPENDS £5 MILLION ON MAINTAINING PIER
WEYMOUTH and Portland’s economy is set for a multi-million pound boost thanks to
Portland Port’s £5 million refurbishment of the Queen’s Pier.
The work will be performed by Kier Construction Ltd, and a local company, Paisley
Plant Hire Ltd. Work to maintain, conserve and extend the pier will allow more large
vessels such as the RFA bay class as well as commercial and cruise ships to moor
along the quayside in Portland.
Contractors Kier Construction say the work will also benefit the borough’s economy
because they want to hire local workers to make the scheme happen. The work is
due to start in spring, and finish by late summer.
Jamie Bee of Kier Construction said: ‘We will endeavour to use local contractors and
suppliers throughout the project. All Kier staff will be staying at local hotels or
appropriate local lettings.’
The project manager also explained what the team will be doing to lessen any
potential disruption due to noise. This includes taking special measures to monitor
the noise levels and keeping in touch with the public to tell them when works will be
taking place.
He said Kier Construction follows the Considerate Constructors Scheme, and added:
‘All current best practice will be introduced to minimise potential impact from noise.
We will monitor the works to ensure our working hours, methods and equipment are
meeting our mitigation targets.
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‘We have already spoken to the local authority environmental health officer and will
be undertaking a letter drop informing local residents of the scope and time-scale of
the project before we commence on site.
‘No work will take place during night-time periods but some work will extend in to
weekends. We do not anticipate these activities having a significant impact, but will
monitor the situation.’
Project manager David Hallett said the work involved large steel piles being
hammered into the seabed by a crane floating on a pontoon.
He added: ‘Queen’s Pier is a mature structure that has been there since the 1950s
and is in need of a bit of TLC. We are taking great care to make sure we do not
disrupt over-wintering birds at the Fleet, Ferrybridge and Chesil Beach. We also
have to demonstrate that we are not going to upset the shellfish by disturbing the
mud.’
Managing Director of Paisley Plant Hire, Richard Paisley, said the firm, which is
based at Portland Port, had carried out the piling for previous berth improvements at
Queen’s Pier. Future work includes installing fender stations, so ships can berth
easier and allow less loading on the jetty.
He added: ‘We are a Portland company – we are based at Portland Port and all our
employees live on Portland. We have a team of six working on this project. We are
pleased to be working with Portland Port on the Queen’s Pier refurbishment.’
Chief Executive of Portland Port, Steve Davies, said: ‘The refurbishment of the
Queen’s Pier benefits the local community through employment and spending, both
during and after construction, and will result in more shipping business encouraged
to pass through the port.
‘It gives the port a competitive advantage with facilities to attract more international
shipping contracts, which adds a benefit for the wider economy of the South West.’
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PICTURE CAPTION:
Please contact Watershed PR for pictures
NOTES TO EDITORS:
For more information contact Emily Pykett at Watershed PR, 01308 420 785 or email
emily@watershedpr.co.uk
Previously a naval dockyard for over 150 years, Portland Harbour is now a thriving
and successful commercial facility. It still maintains a close relationship with the past
through its ongoing contract to support the RFA, as well as being home to the
activities of Global Marine and Portland Bunkers International. It has over 4,000
acres of water at depths of up to 15m (C.D.); and provides vessel services from long
term lay-ups to brief maintenance calls, luxury cruise liner docking facilities to
industrial cargo shipments.
The tariff and general Portland Harbour Authority information can be viewed at
http://www.portland-port.co.uk/

Portland Port has over 2,000 metres of alongside berths and 11.6 metres (C.D.)
depth of water at the deepest alongside berth.

Berthing for vessels up to 300 metres (subject to Harbour Master's approval).

11 designated anchorages are within the 2,000-acre inner harbour. Six
designated anchorages are within the 2,500 acre Outer Harbour.

A width of 210 metres and depth of over 12.6 metres (C.D.) at the entrance of the
harbour mean that there are few vessel beam, lock, or air draft restriction.
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