New pontoon for St Helier Marina

Ports of Jersey has submitted a planning application to install a new pontoon in St Helier Marina.

The new L-shaped pontoon near the Lifeboat Café would make use of a shallow area which has recently been used to store floating equipment, and it would provide more berthing options for leisure vessels ranging in size from 6-8 metres.

The pontoon would measure 60 metres along its western length, 40 metres along the cross wall, and would resemble the pontoons already installed in St Helier Marina. A redundant bridge-link, repurposed from Albert Number 1 berth, would provide shore-side access, water and electrical services from the north side, near the RNLI station house.

The wall fixings that attach the pontoons to Albert Pier would use the same design as the existing fixings on the eastern wall of the marina, and access would be from the western side of the marina.

Head of Maritime Operations, Louise Stafford, said: “These new pontoons will be a better use of the space, which is currently used to store unused pontoons and a working barge platform. It will also benefit the boating community by providing more berthing options and tidying up that area of the marina.”

Until 2014 the space was occupied by a vehicle linkspan, which was used to load vehicles onto car ferries when they used to berth at Albert Pier. This was removed as part of the upgrade to the nearby Albert pier pontoons.

The pontoons that are currently stored in this corner will be used to replace ageing infrastructure in the drying harbours around the island.

An alternative storage area for the barge platform will be identified.