Big Business in Bespoke Pontoons

In just five months the Intermarine team, working as design and build contractor for Glasgow City Council, designed, delivered and constructed the new Broomielaw Landing in the heart of the city. Part of the multi-million pound Clyde regeneration scheme, the pontoon installation utilised a new and unique segmental construction technique developed by Intermarine.

Designed to deliver economies of standardisation but still provide flexibility of shape and finish, the resulting 60m long pontoon forms part of the Council’s plan to encourage increased use of the river, the introduction of a fledgling waterbus operation and centrally located accessible moorings.

Glasgow’s project engineers were looking for a quick production with minimal fuss.

Working on an agreed price, Intermarine worked in tandem with the Council to deliver the project on budget and on schedule. The pontoon can accommodate boats of any size up to a displacement of 100 tons and has been finished to a high standard incorporating hardwood non-slip decking which meets Forestry Stewardship Council standards, full disabled access with handrails positioned at varying heights, and a covered gangway access.

The pontoon is at the site planned for Glasgow’s new iconic bridge and will be incorporated into its construction in due course. Located in a vibrant part of the city which is currently undergoing residential, retail and commercial redevelopment, the 5m wide pontoon has also been designed for portability. Should it need to be moved, it can all be readily transported by road.

Intermarine also completed a project for the RNLI which received a Royal footfall of approval when it was used as the departure platform for HM The Queen following her official opening of the charity’s new Lifeboat College and Survival Centre at Poole. Intermarine acted as a specialist supplier to Dean & Dyball Construction and provided a comprehensive mooring solution to house the centre’s entire range of training lifeboats.

The specification for the pontoon was a complex and unusual one because of the RNLI’s unique requirements.

The engineered design incorporated a steel framed deck on concrete floats, with an unusually high freeboard clearance to accommodate a combination of all weather and inshore lifeboats.

The system featured a skirting to provide a boat-friendly surface for mooring both RIBs and large lifeboats with fenders, all without damage to the boats or equipment. The pontoons also had to accommodate an unusual load from services and equipment storage. A glass reinforced plastic grating deck was used to provide a fully non-slip surface even in icy conditions.

Intermarine’s unique solution for Weymouth & Portland’s new Sailing Academy almost immediately withstood the worst coastal storm in living memory. In a large expanse of semi-protected water, again working as specialist supplier to Dean & Dyball Construction, Intermarine created 250m of pontoon mooring with a 180m floating breakwater. The breakwater provides protection from waves created by the area’s 4 km fetch and makes dinghy launching viable year round. The pontoon incorporates disabled lifts with crane access to the boats. Should London’s bid for the Olympic Games in 2012 be successful, the Academy is likely to be the centre for the sailing competition.

MJ Information No: 20760