Scotland

Strengthening Lerwick Harbour

Lerwick Harbour

Lerwick is the capital and main port of the Shetland Isles North of Scotland and is equidistant from Aberdeen and Bergen in Norway.

The first settlement was founded in the 17th Century depending on herring and whitefish trade with Holland and today the North Sea oil industry and fishing industry are key contributors.

To strengthen its resources, Lerwick Harbour has seen a significant marine engineering project implemented at its quay, presenting new opportunities through the provision of berths and a fish market. The entire project has brought numerous benefits, to the landing, handling and onward transportation of fish.

The project was triggered by the Scottish Government’s allocation of £965,283 from European Fisheries Fund (EFF) towards the £3.17 million cost. The work comprised minor dredging of the existing quays, strengthening of existing structures, the construction of two new berths – Green Head 6 and 7 – and the creation of a new fish market, Mair’s Yard, reclaiming 1.45 hectares of sea bed.

Commenting on the project, Sandra Laurenson, Lerwick Port Authority Chief Executive, said:

“The quay is another valuable addition to the harbour’s resources and underlines the commitment of the Scottish Government and the Authority to sustaining and developing the fishing industry’s future.

“The combination of quay and market brings significant improvements and benefits to the sector’s operations and reinforces Lerwick’s position as a leading centre for landing fish.”

Harbourmaster Captain Calum Grains, said:

“With the current high activity level in the offshore sector in particular, and a positive outlook for the foreseeable future, the latest quay is a timely addition to our deep-water infrastructure.”

Tulloch Developments carried out the bulk of the work on the project, including all the concrete works – insitu and precast – along with ground works and fill material. The company has a wealth of experience working on major building projects, with past projects including Shetland Gas Plant for Total, Whalsay Leisure Centre and Mid Yell Care Centre.

Alistair Tulloch, Director of Tulloch Developments, said:

“Tulloch Developments Ltd were very pleased to have been appointed as main contractors to construct these very important additions to the Lerwick Harbour. We as a company strive to complete contracts on time and to an agreed budget, and look forward to further work in the future with Lerwick Port Authority.”

Working on the project at Lerwick Harbour, Tulloch Developments was also responsible for the drilling, barge supply and mobilisation, plant and labour supply, sheet and tubular pile supply and installation, tarmac surfacing and pier hardware. In total, the project involved 335,000 tons of rockfill and hardcore, 42,000 tons of rock armour, 8,736 tons of concrete and 4,500 square metres of sheet piling.

Designed by Arch Henderson LLP and constructed by Tulloch Development Ltd of Lerwick, steel sheet piling from ArcelorMittal was the natural choice for the new whitefish market at Mair’s Yard. The high rock head level presented a significant challenge as it would not permit sufficient penetration to gain toe stability, however Tulloch overcame this by drilling and blasting a trench which the piles could be driven into.

Several measures to ensure the design life of the structure were considered, but the new corrosion-resistant steel grade AMLoCor™ was selected as the most efficient solution. Offering two to five times the resistance to corrosion in Low Water and Permanent Immersion Zone when compared with standard carbon steel grades, AMLoCor significantly improves the viability of marine structures in steel.

The sections chosen were ArcelorMittal AZ44-700N in AMLoCor Blue320 grade for the main wall and AZ40-700N in S355GP grade for the anchor wall. The two walls were tied together by tie rods facilitating an upper support level to the main wall. The sheet piles were installed using panel driving techniques with an ICE 416 Vibrodriver gaining the required blast trench penetration.

By adopting innovative materials and installation methods, the structure was efficient and economical and will contribute to the ongoing tradition of the whitefish industry at Lerwick.

Pipeco Europe, BRC, BPH, Currie Bros, Ocean Kinetics and FL Johnson were also involved with the works at Lerwick Harbour. Moore Concrete was responsible for the specialist precast concrete units.

In addition to the creation of new quay and Mair’s Yard, Tulloch Developments has also been involved in a housing scheme in Lerwick to meet increasing demand for properties. Tulloch Developments was engaged to undertake site preparation and servicing works on the project, which included the creation of three platforms, along with the installation of site services.

For more information about Tulloch Developments, please visit: www.tullochdev.co.uk.

 

About the author

Roma Publications