By
Alice Chambers |
Portland Port in Dorset, UK, has opened a new deep-water berth that can accommodate two 350-metre-long cruise ships at the same time.
Following the project, the port also has 16,000 square metres of additional quayside space – including a 75-metre extension to the port’s Outer Coaling Pier.
The port hosted a joint ceremony with managing contractor Knights Brown to celebrate completion of the project, which is part of a £26 million redevelopment. Angus Campbell, Lord-Lieutenant of Dorset, unveiled a commemorative plaque in front of port employees, tenants, dignitaries and other invitees to mark the occasion.
“This redevelopment is a tremendous vote of confidence in the port and the local economy,” said Bill Reeves, chief executive of Portland Port. “It is the largest single investment in Portland Port and its infrastructure in its history, and one of the large redevelopment projects in the area in recent years. It sets the stage for significant further growth in the future at the port and for the local economy through jobs and local supply chain.”
Work began on the redevelopment in September 2022 and had to be completed by April 2023 for the beginning of the cruise season, during which the port will receive a record 130,000 passengers.
“I am delighted to see the berth fully operational having been delivered early and on budget,” said Kevin Valentine, managing director at Knights Brown. “When we embarked on delivering this for the port there were many who thought that it couldn’t be delivered within the required timescale, cost and quality. However, through true collaboration between all partners on the project we have achieved everything that we set out to.”