Ports of Jersey has signed a contract for the design of construction work on Elizabeth Harbour. A delivery partnership, led by VolkerFitzpatrick, VolkerStevin and Geomarine, with specialist supply chain partners Arup and Boskalis, will be designing the work which will reconfigure the harbour to increase freight capacity and improve passenger experience as part of the St Helier Harbour Master Plan.
The team was selected through a rigorous procurement process and combines expert local knowledge with international expertise. The contract to design the construction work paves the way for work on the harbour to start in Autumn 2026. The project is then due to span two years from Autumn 2026 to Winter 2028.
Ports of Jersey’s CEO, Matt Thomas, said: “We are pleased to have reached another milestone in the implementation of the Harbour Master Plan. Our delivery partners are now working on the detailed design for the construction work that will reconfigure Elizabeth Harbour. This will inform exactly how we will manage the construction when work starts next year. The Harbour Master Plan is an incredibly exciting project, providing much needed investment in critical island infrastructure, as well as supporting economic growth and providing an improved experience for our passengers.”
Managing Director at VolkerStevin, John Cox, said: “We are proud to be working with Ports of Jersey to deliver a major piece of critical infrastructure that will transform St Helier’s harbours. This once-in-a-generation project is technically complex and ambitious, but one that will bring long-term benefits to Jersey’s economy, community, and sustainable future, leaving a lasting legacy for the island.”
Geomarine’s Managing Director, Phil Horsley, said: “I am delighted Geomarine is the Jersey partner for this exciting project. Ports of Jersey has shown proactive commitment to maximising the local element and we will ensure as much operational delivery and consultancy remains on-island as possible. All the members of this partnership share a passion for the training gain that can be achieved, and our apprentices will benefit enormously from being involved in such a large and complex project. We will also be engaging with schools and Jersey’s wider engineering community.”
The work on the harbour will involve the creation of a suspended deck to bring together the LoLo and RoRo freight operations. This will require some reclamation and dredging, and the construction of a concrete wall and revetment to absorb wave energy and protect against erosion.
Once the work is complete, operational equipment like cranes and forklifts can be moved from New North Quay to the new suspended deck at Elizabeth Harbour. This will consolidate freight operations, improve safety and increase freight-handling capacity.