We recently completed a project to enable the delivery of abnormal loads at Combwich Wharf on the River Parrett.
This will enable the large, and often very heavy, pieces of equipment needed to build the new power station at Hinkley Point C to be delivered by sea. Work involved raising the berth bed by 3.5m using 10,000t of specialist imported aggregate, along with placing and filling 48 culverts weighing 16 tonnes each.
This project had to be completed in time to accept the delivery of the first of two reactor pressure vessels for Hinkley Point C. In addition to the tidal working restraints, the team also had to factor in the 7:30am-9pm working window imposed to minimise disruption to local residents. Planning was meticulous, and the team had to contend with challenging working patterns throughout the project.
With little contingency in the programme, the team worked hard to get the most out of every shift, adopting their working methods accordingly. For example, to ensure speedy and safe installation of the culverts, the team fitted X-Watch 2 monitors on the lifting equipment which continually measure the height, radius and load on the machines, allowing operators to work at the maximum lifting capacity whilst remaining within the machine’s safe working load.
