A timeline has been unveiled for the construction of a tidal deep-sea container terminal across The Wash in East Anglia. It will also act as a flood barrier.
A timeline has been unveiled for the construction of a tidal deep-sea container terminal across The Wash in East Anglia. According to the New Civil Engineer, the project, known as Centre Port, will be the first of its kind in the world.
The ambitious scheme will have multiple purposes. Firstly, it will harness the power of tidal energy to feed electricity into the National Grid and power homes and businesses in the region. It will also create a new container port that can handle super-sized commercial ships.
Furthermore, the barrage will act as a flood defence system for the vulnerable Lincolnshire and Norfolk lowlands, and help to preserve the natural habitats of the Fenlands. The barrage will have a dual carriageway link road built across the top, connecting the neighbouring counties and reducing journey times by 2.5 hours.
The Centre Port chief executive James Sutcliffe provided more information about the £2bn scheme during a recent presentation in London. If consent is given for the plans, work could start as soon as 2025, with a completion date of 2030.
Sutcliffe emphasised the importance of larger ports with capacity to handle increased volumes of trade. He said: “The UK is dependent on the southeastern terminals for the majority of UK import export container capacity. They are full and congested.” He added that the project would: “decarbonise shipping port operations and put ports nearer the market”.
A large dam with hydroelectric turbines would be constructed as part of the sea defence. Sutcliffe explained: “The turbines will be installed in concrete caissons, which will be pre-formed and floated into position, prior to installation.”
As the effects of climate change lead to rising sea levels, the dam could help to protect The Fens, which in places are only one or two metres above sea level.
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