First phase of Lerwick dredging nearly complete

Project Updates – June 5, 2008

The first phase of the dredging project in Lerwick Harbour in Scotland is nearing completion.

Westminster Dredging Company’s dredger Waterway was due to leave Lerwick on June 4th after having removed close to 400,000 cubic metres of seabed.

A substantial part of the area being deepened to -9 metres water depth has been achieved by Waterway removing the softer material which has been pumped to a reclamation site north of Greenhead.

The back-hoe dredger Manu Pekka is now removing the remainder, including rock.

This rock is transported to the reclamation site by two barges and is being used to create the outer containment bund.

A drill barge, Playmate, has now arrived in Lerwick to blast the harder rock areas.

Blasting will start in the middle of June and will continue until early September.

A second project being undertaken by Lerwick Port Authority is to increase the lay-down area at its Dales Voe Base. A contract has been awarded to F L Johnston to remove a quantity of material from the rock face at the rear of the Base.

This rock is also being used by Westminster Dredging Company to assist the creation of the containment bund.