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The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney TD, officially opened the Dinish Wharf Development, Castletownbere Fishery Harbour Centre on Monday 30th April 2012
Background:
The Castletownbere Fishery Harbour Development was dictated by the introduction of more modern larger fishing vessels, up to 6 m draft, and to ease congestion within the harbour. The development consists of the construction of a new 215 metre quay, a dredged berthing basin and a dredged approach channel.
Dredging
Due to the historic use of antifouling paints on boats significant concentrations of contaminated sediments were found within the harbour. Specialist dredging techniques, including seabed profiling and use of an eco-dredging bucket were used to bring dredged material ashore. The silt was then stabilised using cement bentonite prior to shipping to a licensed disposal site in Germany.
Dredging works in Operation
The remaining uncontaminated dredged material was, where suitable, used to reclaim a substantial area of foreshore. A quantity of material (silt) was disposed at sea.
The deepened and widened approach and manoeuvring channels will allow greater access for deep sea and inshore fishing vessels. Two new navigation piles were constructed marking the approach channel further improving navigational safety within the harbour.
New Dinish Wharf
The construction comprised of two separate stages. The first was a new mass concrete wall supporting a reinforced concrete deck. The completion of this new quay allowed the fishing fleet to move from the existing old Dinish Wharf, thereby keeping the harbour fully operational during construction.
New Mass Concrete Quay under Construction
The second stage was replacement of the old Dinish Wharf Pier, an open timber fender construction, which was structurally inadequate. The replacement structure is a suspended reinforced concrete slab supported on steel cased reinforced concrete piles, with a concrete berthing face.
New Dinish Wharf under Construction & Completed Reclaimed Area
The total cost of developing the new quay, dredged berthing basin and dredged approach channel amounted to €39.5 million.
New Completed Quay
Project Lead Participants
Lead Consultant and Project Manager: MottMacDonald Ireland Ltd.
Marine Engineering Consultant: Jacobs Engineering
Dredging Contractor: Environmental Dredging Ireland
Main Civil Works Contractor: Carillion Irishenco Ltd.
