News - 02/09/15

The final stages of works on the Cowes Breakwater are in progress with Cowes Harbour Commission’s contractors Boskalis Westminster now in the process of completing the placement of rock armour layers.

CHC would like to bring your attention to the current timetable below showing planned rock barge arrivals in Cowes Harbour and an unloading schedule for the next few days.

It is expected that the rock barge DN146 will be on station in the breakwater Exclusion Zone for around 18 hours at a time for unloading and before departing Cowes Harbour. The rock barge will be accompanied by the tug Smit Beluga, which will maintain a listening watch on VHF Channel 69 as well as making an ‘All Ships’ broadcast on arrival at the Cowes Harbour limits and again prior to departure from the Exclusion Zone.

Rock barge arrivals and unloading schedule
• The final rock barge is expected to arrive in Cowes Harbour on Thursday, 8th October for discharge on Friday, 9th October.

• The rock barge schedule is weather dependant and therefore may be changed due to weather conditions or other factors.
• Further schedules and updates will be posted here on the CHC website.
• There will be approximately 19 barge deliveries in total for completion of the rock armouring.
• There will be normally two, and a maximum of three barge loads per week.
• The barge operations and rock armouring will be completed by the end of September or shortly afterwards.
• Practical completion of the breakwater is due by the end of October.

• Normal construction operations will be from 0800 to 2000hrs. However, extensions may occasionally be necessary to work the low tide operational requirements, in daylight hours.

• To expedite completion, rock barge unloading can be carried out from 0700 to 2300hrs, with agreed restrictions as authorised by the IW Council Environmental Health department.

Cowes Harbour Commission is working closely with contractor Boskalis Westminster and the Isle of Wight Council Environmental Health department, which is responsible for the enforcement of permitted construction work noise levels and the impact of noise disturbance on residents of the Isle of Wight. The Commission will continue working with the contractors and IWC to reduce and mitigate construction working noise so that the impact of construction is kept to a reasonable level with the least disruption to residents in Cowes and East Cowes.

The Commission is very grateful for the continued understanding and cooperation of Cowes and East Cowes residents and harbour users during these final stages of breakwater construction.

For further information, please read LNTM No 26(T) of 2015 Breakwater Exclusion Zone Buoyage and Breakwater Works.