The first phase of the latest £4.3 million investment in the refurbishment of the port of Liverpool’s lock system is nearing completion.
The complex engineering operation, over 24 months in the planning, has seen the West Inner Gate at the port’s Gladstone Lock replaced.
Despite the temporary Gladstone Lock closure this week, over 90% of vessels have been able to access berths via the port’s Langton Lock.
The first phase of the latest £4.3 million investment in the refurbishment of the port of Liverpool’s lock system is nearing completion.
The complex engineering operation, over 24 months in the planning, has seen the West Inner Gate at the port’s Gladstone Lock replaced.
Despite the temporary Gladstone Lock closure this week, over 90% of vessels have been able to access berths via the port’s Langton Lock.
The work has seen the giant West Inner Gate – 16 metres high and weighing 400 tonnes – removed following the fixing in place of a limpet dam at the mouth of the lock. The refurbished gate is now being manoeuvred into place and the dam removed.
The operation will be completed by 7am tomorrow, with the first vessel is due to transit the lock two hours later.
Peel Ports Mersey’s Head of Port Operations David Huck said: “The outage is the culmination of many months of planning, and we’re delighted that this major feat of engineering is progressing well and is on plan to be to be completed in good time.”
Gladstone Lock’s East Inner Gate will be replaced in an identical operation in August, taking overall investment in this area of Liverpool’s infrastructure to £20 million.
Discussion about this post