Heavy-Lift Transshipment Base Facility, Port of HaminaKotka Upgrade

Location:

The Port of HaminaKotka, Finland

Project Description:

A significant port upgrade project to the Port of HaminaKotka to create a heavy-lift transshipment base.

The works included, but were not limited to:

• 200,000m³ of dredging
• reclamation, ground improvement and creation of 4 hectares of new land
• construction of two new suspended deck Ro-Ro berths
• construction of a new 125m long suspended deck jetty and mooring dolphin
• the strengthening, modification and widening of an existing Ro-Ro berth
• provision and installation of new fender systems for all berths
• construction of over 18 hectares of heavy-duty pavements
• the construction of numerous ancillary works, including site offices, barge anchor mooring system, service connections, washdown area and maintenance facilities.

The new transhipment base is capable of receiving large ocean-going module delivery ships and a fleet of bespoke module-carrying vessels and barges. The modules will be transhipped through the base using Ro-Ro technology.

The project was an important logistics component within a much larger oil and gas project.

Sarens N.V. were responsible to the overall project Owner for upgrading the Port and will carry out a multi-year transhipment operations campaign.

The design and the construction of the upgrade works was procured by the Port of HaminaKotka and the detailed design was carried out by the Port’s appointed design consultant, Ramboll Finland. The construction works were undertaken by a range of Finnish contactors including principal contractors Terramare Oy and YIT Oy.

The below video shows a timeline of the port construction.

Our Role:

Waves Group were appointed by Sarens N.V. as their assurance consultant for the project. We provided specialist maritime civil engineering consultancy services for the planning, design verification and construction supervision of the extensive civil upgrade works required.

Activities:

Waves Group civil engineers were embedded within the Sarens team in the project offices and provided a full-time presence throughout the planning and design stage and then on site during the construction period. Overall, we were continuously involved in the upgrade of the Port of HaminaKotka project for a period of over 3 years. Works on site were successfully completed on time for the start of transhipment operations in 2018.

Our role included not only the design verification but extended to a much broader remit as project reviewers. As the project developed this role grew to include significant project management assistance to the Port and to Sarens.

Activities undertaken by Waves Group:

• Interpretation and development of the project requirements
• Statistical analysis of berth operability and quay height
• Outline design
• Review of design criteria
• Review of detailed designs and construction drawings
• Assessment and development of variations to the requirements
• Provision of advice on construction management
• Construction monitoring and quality assurance control
• Reporting and monitoring of construction progress
• Monthly project progress meetings with the Port and Sarens
• Preparation of as-built condition survey record reports of all facilities
• Compilation of all design and construction records for archive purposes.