Pontoons work under way as part of marina upgrade

New pontoons that will improve Guernsey's facilities for large private vessels have arrived in the island.

The two pontoons were manufactured in the UK and will be installed at the QEII marina in St Peter Port.

The work is part of a broader investment plan for the port and the wider harbour over the coming decade.

The new pontoons, which will cost £1.4m, will be modern, heavy-duty and supported by reinforced piles, Guernsey Ports said.

The galvanised steel designs have a 25-year life span and work is already under way to replace the old corroded aluminium structures installed in the 1980s.

Guernsey Ports’ dive team and engineers are currently working with contractors to construct and fit the piles.

As they are constructed, the new pontoons will be craned into the water and floated in stages.

Guernsey Ports project civil engineer Jenny Giles said: “Our Ports teams are working closely with contractors both on land and underwater on these complex and major works.

"The reinforcement of the original piles and construction of three new supporting pile structures will ensure strong foundations for the new pontoons.”

Guernsey Ports said moorings for larger leisure craft were in strong demand and the new pontoons had been purpose-built for vessels of this type.

Assistant harbour master Kieran Higgs said: “The replacement of the old pontoons has provided us with the opportunity to reconfigure the berths to make better use of the space available.

“The area closest to the East Arm has the deepest water of any of our marinas, which makes it ideal for larger vessels, and particularly sailing vessels with deeper drafts.

"This will help us satisfy some demand for larger berths that are currently in very short supply."

The project started in mid-January and is expected to take around three months to complete.

The QEII Marina upgrade is part of a wider plan to invest about £64m in St Peter Port Harbour over the next 10 years.