- The new pier will be used for the operation of commercial ships transporting ro-ro and passenger cargo, favoring short sea shipping as an alternative to the road.
- During the 18 months that the works will last, a provisional ro-ro platform will be installed on the Costa pier, to maintain the current operation.
Madrid, May 3, 2023 (Mitma). The Council of Ministers, in its meeting today and on the proposal of the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda (Mitma), has authorized the Port Authority of Barcelona to tender the works of remodeling the pier of the Contradique Norte del Puerto de Barcelona, for an estimated value of 22.33 million euros (VAT not included).
The aim is to improve the stability conditions of the current pier, given that the concrete block section was built more than 100 years ago. This contract falls within a broader scope of action developed by the Port Authority, consisting of achieving an organization and specialization of the areas and facilities of the port according to the type of traffic they serve.
Specifically, in the Morrot basin, where the quay that is the subject of this contract is located, the Costa quay and the Poniente Sur quay are also operational for ro-ro traffic (ro-ro cargo ships). Thus, the Port Authority of Barcelona will allocate the new Contradique Norte pier to traffic operations such as ro-pax, commercial cargo and passenger transport vessels. The implementation of these works will contribute significantly to prioritising short sea shipping as a reliable, clean, safe and economical alternative to road transport.
This project consists of the generation of a new berthing line on the Contradique Norte’s roof, which will restore this facility in proper operating and structural safety conditions. To this end, an alignment of drawers ahead of the current one is foreseen, together with a new ramp, located at the corner of said pier with the Costa pier, executed through a section of drawers.
The constructive solution adopted is conditioned by the state of the existing block pier, which prevents relying on it during the execution of the works and obliges to support, on a provisional basis, certain areas of this pier. During the 18 months that the works will last, a platform will be installed
Provisional ro-ro at the Costa pier to maintain the current operation.
Technical features of remodeling
The remodeling of the Contradique Norte pier consists of the construction of a 268.3 meters long drawer pier in front of the current block pier and a 70 meters long and 45 meters wide ro-ro heel, at the intersection with the Costa pier, resulting in the draught of the new 12 meters pier.
From a technical-structural point of view, the main units
Construction of the project is as follows:
− Stabilization of the current block wharf by means of the hinca of
A screen of sheet piles.
− Dredged in ditch to cement the drawers of the new pier.
− Escollera de cimentación a través de una banqueta de escollera de
between 25 and 50 kilograms of average weight in the dredging trench.
− Execution of drawers of the new wharf.
− Superstructure of the pier.
− Transfers, refills and preloads.
− Electrical, water and telecommunications installations.
− Drainage network.