St. Michael's Pier Fenders Repair, Dún Laoghaire Harbour, Co. Dublin

Tender description

St. Michaels Pier was constructed in 1960s with a berth either side to accommodate Ro/Ro Ferries. In the 1990s, the Western side was infilled as part of the plans to introduce the High-Speed Stena HSS, leaving the Eastern Side, Berth 4, as the only full-length berth on St. Michaels Pier. The Berth structure was protected by 19 pairs of Greenheart fender piles, secured back onto the Berth with steel brackets, and rubber interface panels. The greenheart piles included a steel facing strip on the outer face. 5 of these greenheart piles were replaced by steel piles (with heavy duty plastic facing plates) circa 2010 for the introduction of the Stena Sea-Cat, however the remaining 14 pairs of greenheart piles are still in position. Over time the rubber interface panels have failed (rubber separated from steel plates or torn), resulting in the piles no longer being connected back to the pier structure. Some of the piles have dropped by up to 1 metre by sinking into the seabed. One pair of piles was pulled out and has been lifted up onto the surface of the berth. This project sets out to remedy the defects in the existing greenheart piles and their mounting system,