We have built three new heavy-duty pontoons, extending the current steel Barbican Landing Stage (BLS) in Plymouth to provide over 60 metres of additional mooring space.
Equipped with shore power and mains water, the pontoons will provide a dedicated area for pick up and drop off for charter vessels and other small vessel passengers making trips to the historic Barbican throughout the year.
| Client | Cattewater Harbour Commissioners (CHC) |
| Date | February 2024 |
| Where | The Barbican, Plymouth, Devon |
Set against the backdrop of the historic trading port of Plymouth, home to the iconic Barbican, the BLS is a busy harbour slip that accommodates numerous vessels throughout the year.
The Cattewater Harbour Commissioners (CHC) approached us to come up with a range of options to extend their current offering. After testing operation and demand with several charter vessels in 2023 to explore vessel traffic management with existing stakeholders, including local ferries and boat tours, we proposed three new heavy duty pontoon units to be adjoined to the current BLS, with additional mooring points equipped with shore power and mains water connections.
Our design of the pontoons and location of the piles ensured we maximised all available berthing space. Our heavy duty pontoons come with our popular Glass Reinforced Concrete (GRC) decking for a firmer grip, longer life, lower maintenance and variable freeboard heights to meet customer needs.
A bespoke ramp connection to the existing large steel pontoon was required. Close coordination between several contractors and existing users during installation ensured the piles, pontoons and services were commissioned and installed within an agreed 10-working day window, testament to the thorough planning and project management that was implemented.
Working together with the local piling contractor and our installation team, led by Ben Jones from P&D Environmental, was a key factor to the success of this project.
“From concept to commissioning, Inland & Coastal were a pleasure to deal with,” says Sean Marshall, Deputy Harbour Master, Cattewater Harbour Commissioners.
“They were extremely helpful at the design stage and were able to suggest a variety of options that would provide a suitable fit-for-purpose facility that was within the project budget. The whole teams ‘can do’ approach enabled the entire project to be assembled within a tight 10-day window.”
The three new pontoons now provide an additional 60 metres of docking space for a variety of boats, including local charter angling vessels for customer pick up and drop off, as well as leisure sailors who will be able to drop off and pick people with advance permission from the CHC.
“We are delighted that these new pontoons will provide a permanent facility for us to use for our charter passengers making fishing trips available from the heart of the historic Barbican,” says Charter Skipper of the Mirage Dave Uren.
Paul Errington, MMO’s Acting Director of Finance comments: “These new pontoons will create opportunities for the businesses that rely on the BLS, those they employ and the many visitors they welcome each year. The safe haven this facility provides in bad weather is an added benefit for the entire local fishing community.”
From concept to commissioning, Inland & Coastal were a pleasure to deal with.
