The $205-million west side modernization project at Port Saint John has hit another milestone,
The project includes the consolidation of the Rodney and Navy Island terminals for a longer, stronger pier.
Port Saint John CEO Jim Quinn said the last of eight caissons forming the new wharf was put in place on May 14.
“Those caissons are a bit of an engineering feat with respect to their size and precision by which they must be placed and filling them with rock,” said Quinn.
The caissons, measuring about 24 metres wide by 24 metres high by 60 metres long each, were constructed on a specialized barge, he said.
Quinn said once the forms were put in place, it took about six or seven days to pour the concrete for each caisson.
“When it’s completed, the barge sinks and the caisson floats,” he said.
After all of the caissons were completed, they were floated into place and weighed down with large quantities of rock until they came to rest on a pre-placed rock mattress on the harbour floor.
Quinn said the caissons will settle into place over the next six to 10 months before being encased in decking material.
The final caisson is moved into place on May 14, 2021. (Image: Port Saint John/submitted)
A million tons of rock will be added behind the caissons to help strengthen the dock and create additional backlands, he said.
In the meantime, officials have also begun work to deepen and widen the main channel.
“We’re taking it down from a low water depth of 8.4 metres to 9.5 metres and we’re broadening the main channel on each side by 20 metres,” said Quinn.
Dredging will also take place around Long Wharf slip to create a berthing area for commercial vessels.
The upgrade will also include a ramp that can be used by emergency crews and the general public to launch boats, he said.
Quinn said the overall project remains on budget and on schedule. The new wharf is expected to be done by the end of 2022 and the entire project should be completed in the spring of 2023.
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