News - 17/03/14

NB. For the latest information, read Cowes Local Notices to Mariners and visit the Cowes Breakwater Project section. 

Cowes Harbour Commission (CHC) is pleased to be in a position to publish a preliminary timeline for the construction of the new Cowes breakwater. 

• Final ground investigation works completed September 2013
• Tenders from short-listed contractors received November 2013
• Design and build contract to be awarded February 2014
• Construction, first phase, to start in first quarter of 2014
• Construction, second phase, due to be completed in 2015

How long will the breakwater take to build?
The breakwater will be delivered under a design and build, fixed priced contract. More information will be available as soon as the construction contractor has been appointed.

Breakwater construction exclusion area
An exclusion zone will be put in place at the mouth of Cowes Harbour during construction of the breakwater, with a clear route defined for traffic to and from the site, and newly re-configured small craft event moorings. Please note: five clusters of inflatable yellow buoys have been laid to mark the position of the breakwater which is now readily identifiable to passing vessels.

In advance of construction on the breakwater commencing, CHC will issue all the necessary navigational information, to ensure continued safety for harbour users in the busy marine environment that is Cowes Harbour.

How will the breakwater construction affect yacht racing?
CHC will be liaising closely with all Cowes yacht clubs and event organisers to avoid disruption to racing, however, impacts during construction of the breakwater will hopefully be minimal. Race starts and finishes will take place outside the exclusion area.

Will there be disruption for vessels entering and leaving Cowes Harbour?
There will be no changes to the outer and inner fairways, or the small craft channel, and Red Funnel ferry movements into and out of Cowes will remain unaffected.

What will happen to swinging moorings in the harbour?
In consultation with event organisers, small craft event moorings will be re-configured with extensions to the east and north, as shown on the diagram above of the exclusion area.

CHC’s annual day class moorings have already been re-configured, with all permanent moorings positioned south of the construction exclusion zone.

Regular updates will be included in future CHC E-newsletters, so do check back here every month for the latest breakwater news.