The latest extension to the Port of Felixstowe, the UK’s largest container port, has been officially opened - the £34 million project to extend the port’s 9th berth by 190m was completed by VolkerStevin and Boskalis Westminster under a joint venture (VSBW).

Works to create the new berth and its approaches involved dredging over one million cubic metres of material to enable a steel piled quay wall to be built.

The reclamation of land back from the sea began in April 2014 with the mobilisation of dredging equipment. A piled cell was constructed and filled during tidal conditions. Works to the berth also involved the laying of tracks to enable three new ship-to-shore cranes to operate along the extension.

Ian Cussons, project manager for VSBW said: “We are delighted to have completed the extension which allows the Port of Felixstowe to continue to grow and compete with other ports around the world.

“We utilised a tubular pile design for the extension which reflects the design of the existing berths eight and nine.”

Eighty 18,000+TEU (twenty foot equivalent unit) ships have already been handled at the port in 2015 the 190-metre extension has increased the port’s capability to berth two of the world’s largest containerships simultaneously.