Project summary

Categorised as a “Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project”, we delivered the new multi-million pound port terminal – Tilbury2. The Port of Tilbury, regarded as the UK’s fastest growing port, provides “fast, modern distribution services” for the benefit of the “south east of England and beyond”. Our construction programme, on land at the former Tilbury Power Station at the north bank of the River Thames, created the “UK’s largest unaccompanied freight ferry port” and the “country’s biggest construction processing hub”. In September 2018, we were awarded the contract for both the Terrestrial and Marine Packages of this extensive new development. The ECI Phase took place from October 2018 to March 2019, before works began immediately in March 2019. Both contracts completed in November 2020.

The detail

Our Tilbury2 development helped facilitate the expansion of the Port of Tilbury and supported its “local, regional and national economic growth”. The Terrestrial contract incorporated a Roll-On/Roll-Off (RoRo), highways works, the relocation of the existing railhead (to accommodate freight trains of 75m), and a fixed structural steel bridge to the linkspan. Our Marine contract included works within the tidal estuary beyond the existing sea wall/flood defences, including a floating pontoon, linkspan/articulated bridge, associated pilings and river bed preparation for the berth.

In mid-March 2019, a 250tn crawler crane completed the offloading of 800tn of sheet piles, materials required for the Construction Materials and Aggregates Terminal (CMAT) berth cut off wall. The CMAT berth works were completed four weeks ahead of schedule. Demonstrating our innovative approach, the first sheet piles were installed using a GRAHAM designed, bespoke floating piling gate. To ensure our programme maximised the working area available, we worked the Upstream RoRo and the CMAT berth simultaneously.

Tilbury2 Bridges

As part of the “Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project”, Tilbury2, we constructed two separate bridge structures that continue to support “fast, modern distribution services” at the UK’s fastest growing port. Officially opened on July 4th 2020, the four span Fort Road Bridge was described as a “key milestone in the development” of the overall Tilbury2 scheme. A component of our Terrestrial Works package, it was positioned onto pile supported abutments at each end and onto three intermediate pile supported reinforced concrete piers.

Additionally, an articulated bridge/linkspan was also designed, delivered and installed within the tidal estuary beyond the existing sea wall and flood defences.

Read more here