The pontoons being removed date back to the 1980s.
Their replacements have been shipped into the island in trailers in recent days and are now being stored at the harbour work compound which has been set up at the East Arm while the upgrading work is being carried out.
Pictured: The new pontoons are being stored at the eastern arm of St Peter Port Harbour. They are reinforced with galvanised steel and have wider walkways than previous pontoons for increased accessibility.
The new pontoons are made of galvanised steel with their size and weight meaning additional concrete bases needed to be built for new supporting piles.
Guernsey Ports’ dive team and engineers are currently working with the contractors to construct and fit those piles.
Meanwhile, work to fit the new concrete flotation blocks, pontoon walkways, finger pontoons and other fittings is beginning on the other side of the East Arm worksite. As they are built, the new pontoons will be craned into the water and floated in stages.
Pictured: New supporting piles are being built, using a concrete pump for underwater bases.
Guernsey Ports Project Civil Engineer Jenny Giles said: “Our Ports teams are working closely with contractors both on land and underwater on these complex and major works. The reinforcement of the original piles and construction of three new supporting pile structures will ensure strong foundations for the new pontoons.”
Moorings for larger leisure craft are in strong demand and the new pontoons have been purpose-built for vessels of this type, said Assistant Harbourmaster Keiran Higgs.
“The replacement of the old pontoons has provided us with the opportunity to reconfigure the berths to make better use of the space available,” he said.
“The area closest to the East Arm has the deepest water of any of our marinas, which makes it ideal for larger vessels, and particularly sailing vessels with deeper drafts. This will help us satisfy some demand for larger berths that are currently in very short supply.”
Pictured: The work is underway at the QEII Marina, with existing berth holders having their vessels moved to temporary berths or dry dock.
Work on the project started in mid-January and is expected to take around three months to complete. Work started by moving around 120 boats from pontoons D and E. Some were moved to alternative berths, while others have been craned out of the water to sit in dry dock at the East Arm or Castle Emplacement, temporarily.
The work is part of a multi-million programme of investment that Guernsey Ports said is required in the QEII marina this decade.
The marina was originally built in the 1980s, along with the construction of North Beach and Salerie corner car parks.
QEII Marina opened in 1989 and is still the largest of Guernsey’s marinas, with 766 floating moorings and 11 drying moorings currently.
READ MORE…
Many millions to be spent on marina improvements
20 vessels to be craned out of marina as pontoon project begins
Parking to be suspended for £1.4m pontoon replacement project
GALLERY:
-
the_new_pontoons_stored_at_the_eastern_arm_are_reinforced_with_galvanised_steel_and_have_wider_walkways_than_previous_pontoons_for_increased_acc -
pontoons_stored_on_the_East_Arm -
pontoon_construction -
new_supporting_pile_foreground_with_concrete_pump_for_underwater_bases_taking_place_in_background -
Cranes_on_the_Sarnia_workboat_and_barge_platform_assist_with_the_concrete_pour_underwater_for_the_new_concrete_bases