Project Summary

BGL were instructed by Glencar Construction to design a large, grade level lorry park and associated infrastructure with a Roll on Roll off ramp (RoRo) facility for the loading and unloading of vehicles being brought into the country.

The facility will mainly be used for the transportation of automotive parts and vehicles between Spain and the UK. The project involved the redevelopment of Berth Two of the QE2 dock, by modification of the existing dock wall to create a RoRo facility.

Further key design elements were mooring bollards, drainage design & discharge into the dock, design of the RoRo Ramp and stainless steel rubbing plates. The adjacent field was the location for a new black top, large scale lorry park, concrete circulation areas and ramps, foundations for prefabricated welfare and gatehouse facilities. A future customs building is to be built in the near future. BGL advised the client throughout and regularly attended the site during the project.

Key Engineering Challenges

• Specification of materials appropriate to a marine environment, under frequent use
• Modification of existing dock walls using only historic photographs as reference
• Mooring bollards that could withstand 100 tonnes, acting ±90 ° horizontally, and up to 60° vertically, without exerting any force on the existing dock wall
• Foundation design of 35m high lighting masts, with coastal wind loading