Following the closure of Port Ellen to ferry traffic at the end of March 2011, work at the site is progressing well. The contractor, McLaughlin & Harvey (McL&H) has established their site compound and materials storage on the marshalling area. This has been supplemented by a further area of ground, following the demolition of an old store building adjacent to the terminal building, which will be used to increase the marshalling area and provide disabled parking spaces. McL&H has been progressing the steel sheet piling of the new pier construction, after an initial issue with bedrock in one area. The construction works are utilising infill rock material from local sources on Islay and McL&H are using local Islay and Jura sub-contractors to undertake various sections of the project. Continue reading....

Installation of steel sheet piles at the shore end of the pier reconstructionThe works have not disrupted the grain delivery boat berthing and unloading at the pier, which takes place approximately every three weeks and is an integral part of the malt supply to many of the island’s distilleries. McL&H is currently taking advantage of the Port Ellen maltings summer shutdown, where there is a seven week window between grain boats. The project is on schedule to complete by the end of December 2011, as programmed. The port remains open to fishing and leisure vessels on the fish quay/inner harbour.

View along the existing pier showing the new steel sheet piling beginning to enclose the existing pier.

Press release by www.cmassets.co.uk

Tag: ferry port ellen cmal