Dredging to secure the future of New Ross Port, Ireland-a case study

摘要

The future of New Ross Port has been secured following a major ￡7 million development programme supported by the Irish Government and the European Union. One of the most significant aspects is the deepening and realignment of the Port's navigation channel. The dredging work has alleviated the draft restrictions and acute bends in the Port's approach channel which have limited the size of vessel which can enter the Port and the period during which access is possible. The River Barrow improvement scheme is designed to facilitate safer and more efficient access by vessels up to 6,000 tonnes as opposed to previous maximum of 4,000 tonnes. The works will extend the "Tidal Window" boosting the port's potential for future business growth. The works were designed with the aid of computer modelling to determine the optimum dimensions and alignment of the channel The dredging works included dredging a navigation channel with a minimum depth of 3m and width 60m over a distance of 17km, realigning the channel to eliminate a number of bends, constructing 8 groynes in the river to train the flow, constructing a stone training wall and developing a maintenance dredging strategy. Particularly interesting aspects of the work were the beneficial use of the dredged material for reclamation and land improvement. There were many practical and environmental restrictions imposed, including the need for archaeological monitoring. The paper presents the whole project from feasibility through to construction.