Walcon returned to Shoreham Port in south-east England 25 years after it first installed a waiting pontoon inside the harbour lock to install another, this time located outside the lock. The new heavy-duty pontoon is now serving as a standby berth for the tugs and pilot boats that escort vessels in and out of the harbour.
In order to cope with the stresses of commercial operations, the facility is comprised of three, 15 metres by three metres, heavy duty Walcon Waliflote pontoons plus an aluminium self-levelling gangway (the angle of the steps change with the tide). The pontoons feature continuous buoyancy for maximum stability plus "Jumbo" steel frames and GRP mesh decking.
The Waliflote base units and decking were manufactured at the Walcon waterside facility at Woolston, Southampton, and delivered to the site by road while the Walcon Wizard piling barge removed the old piles and drove in the new ones.
“We were very pleased to be invited back to Shoreham Port,” said Walcon Marine Managing Director James Walters. “Our heavy duty Waliflote product is ideal for activities of this type and offers a sturdy, low maintenance solution for commercial operators.”
“Our original Walcon pontoon stood the test of time in the tide area of the port, so Walcon’s proven track record made them our first choice,” added Julian Seaman, Harbour Master and Director of Marine Operations at Shoreham Port.