Key moment for execution of works in Port of Gdynia
On the construction of the dock bay in the Port of Gdynia, over 85 per cent of the pile driver works has been completed. This is due, among other things, to the specialised crew and equipment – the second-largest pile driver in Europe is working there. The machine is used to drive piles into the bottom
The investor of the project under the name “Construction of a dock bay and relocation of a floating dock with accompanying works” is the Port of Gdynia. The first stage includes the construction of a dock bay, reconstruction of a section of the Southern Quay II, reconstruction of a section of the West Quay I, earthworks and dredging works in the dock bay and on the approach channel to it, as well as relocation of the floating dock from the existing location to the newly built bay. The second stage will include the reconstruction of Pier No. II. The general contractor of this investment, a consortium of NDI SA and NDI SOPOT SA, must also obtain the use permits.
A key moment of construction
At the moment, the works are already advanced. Currently, pile-driving works, pile works, demolition works and reinforced concrete works are being performed. “We are at a key moment in the implementation of this project. The pile-driving works on the eastern quay have been completed and will soon be completed on the northern quay. We have reached around 85 per cent progress not only in the pile-driving works but also in the demolition works. We have completed them on the land part but we are continuing to dismantle the underwater elements of the structure. The works completed so far have enabled us to build a reinforced concrete superstructure,” reports Paweł Ciomek, the construction manager from the NDI Group.
Additionally, the electrical works began last December, and water and gas works are currently planned. In the coming weeks, the pile-driving and reinforced concrete works will continue. The general contractor will start dredging works in spring.
State-of-the-art equipment
Interestingly, the investment in the Port of Gdynia is being carried out by using the most modern equipment. Among the machines that impress is the second-largest pile driver in Europe. “We decided to use such equipment due to the difficult ground conditions here. A large pile driver is used to drive steel pipes with a diameter of 1,014 millimetres and a length of 28 metres into the ground. The impactor itself, i.e. the element that strikes and “drives” the pipes, weighs 28 tonnes. The pile driver reaches just over 70 tonnes, and the set with a crawler crane weighs over 270 tonnes,” explains Paweł Ciomek.
The construction of the dock bay is another NDI’s hydrotechnical investment for the Port of Gdynia. The contract is worth over 82 million zlotys gross. The project implementation time is 18 months.