Southampton appoints Mott MacDonald

Together with other port upgrades, the work for Associated British Ports (ABP) will increase the terminal’s throughput capacity by enabling 18,000 teu mega-containerships and future generation container vessels to access the port at all states of tide.

Originally constructed in 1968 and 1973 respectively as the UK’s first dedicated container berths, the existing 600 metre long quay will be deepened by up to six metres from its current 12 m draught to a minimum of 16 m. The quay will be strengthened to accommodate new ship to shore gantry cranes with an outreach of over 60 m.

Last month (October) ABP started piling works to extend the berths’ frontage to create the new deep-water berth; the cost of these marine works is estimated to be around £150m (US$235m).