Port of Sunderland has announced that Jubilee Quay – the third largest of its eleven quays – will be redeveloped, with a new asphalt hardstanding that will allow it to be used for the shipments of bulk and project cargoes. The project, which will see earthworks, surfacing and drainage work carried out on the site, will allow the port to take on more business, and it is hoped that – in the longer term – it will make the port a more attractive inward investment proposition.
Port of Sunderland, which is owned by Sunderland City Council, has also commissioned the construction of two new lighting masts and provision of a new dockside handrail, which will ensure the site remains operational when light levels are low. Work will be undertaken by North East construction business Owen Pugh.
Matthew Hunt, director of Port of Sunderland, said that the redevelopment project – expected to take three months to complete, was another step forward for the port, which has seen its fortunes transformed since his arrival in 2010.
Mr Hunt said: “Port of Sunderland is a fast-growing port, and infrastructure projects such as this one serve to accelerate that growth, allowing us to take on more business, and expand our capabilities.
“We have seen an extensive programme of investment at Port of Sunderland, and all of this is helping to create new opportunities for us, and to unlock the vast potential that exists here. With more of our quays becoming operational, and of course, some of the major investment made to date – that has included the purchase of two cranes, one a heavy-lift crane, and of course the recent reconnection of our rail lines – we are more capable than ever and better placed than ever before to compete on a bigger stage.”
The 120m long quay is located in the port’s Hudson Dock, on the west side of the port. The area is connected to the port’s newly reinstated rail lines and will be an ideal location for handling rail-borne cargoes to and from the port.
The latest project, worth some £400,000 follows major work at the port’s Greenwell’s Quay – located on the northern side of the port – which has also been resurfaced, with around 4,500m2 of concrete hardstanding. The combined value of the contracts is almost £1million.