On the Celtic Sea today, shipping activity involves a large barge-pontoon crane under tow of a tug that is bringing to Ireland a massive bridge structure that will transform the heart of Waterford city.
The new bridge is due to be installed across the Suir within the coming weeks, marking a new era for Ireland’s oldest city, as a trading centre, can be traced more than 1,200 years when the Vikings created a settlement on the banks of the Suir.
The barge's imminent arrival tomorrow (17 May) with onboard the bridge’s steel superstructure from Belgium, where its fabrication took place, will mark another significant stage in the process of the infrastructure project.
Its arrival is a major milestone for the Waterford North Quays Public Infrastructure Project, as the superstructure in the coming weeks is due for lifting into position and final installation. This is where the Hebo Lift 9 will play its central role, as the sheerleg pontoon vessel has a lifting capacity of 800 tons, and its crane lifting height can reach 67m above the sea.
In parallel with the construction in Waterford of the new bridge's substructure in the riverbed, the steel superstructure had been manufactured in Victor Buyck’s bespoke steel fabrication plant in Belgium.
For more on the story, Independent.ie reports.
Also in this country is the inland port of Ghent, where Afloat reported its role as part of the North Sea Port (incl. cross-border Dutch ports), which recently received an Eco-Ports environmental recertification at the European Sea Port Organisation (ESPO) annual conference.
As for the barge-crane lift company contracted to transport the bridge superstructure, this is a Dutch firm, Maritiemservice B.V., with a head office in Rotterdam. The 45,1 tons bollard pull tug Dutch Power is operated by Landfall Marine Contractors B.V. of Ridderkerk.
Both the barge and tug will initially head upriver but only as far as the port's main terminal at Belview and to berths 1 and 2, respectively. In an update as of (17 May), the vessels arrived instead at the city's quays along the Frank Cassin Wharf.
