Walcon Marine played a significant part in the Port of Dover’s ambitious Dover Western Docks Revival project.
Walcon’s role was undertaken in two phases. The first was the installation of pontoons to accommodate berths for up to 250 boats in the outer harbour, which took place in 2024. The second phase involved the dredging of the adjacent Wellington Dock followed by the installation of a new marina, which was completed this summer.
The marina for Wellington Dock, pictured right and below, is the standout feature of the town’s waterfront transformation and was designed, built and installed by Walcon. Walcon’s aluminium System 2000 pontoons fitted with non-slip mesh decking were used for the walkways and finger pontoons. This delivered 135 new berths to complement the others in the adjacent Outer Marina, taking the total number of new berths to nearly 400 across the site.
Walcon’s Road Transportable Rig played a significant role due to its ability to access difficult sites. Its tasks included the removal and repositioning of the existing piles followed by the installation of the new pontoons. The project included extensive reconfiguration of the Outer Marina as well as the removal of old pontoons and services, followed by the installation of new pontoons, access bridges, bridgeheads and the mechanical and electrical systems.
With the Port of Dover being a highly sensitive historic environment, the DWDR scheme was designed to minimise the loss of historic character, which included the retention of the Wellington Dock with a new navigable channel connecting it to the new marina.
Specialist heritage experts were involved from the beginning to oversee the excavations and ensure that investigations were conducted in a controlled environment. The Dover Western Docks Revival is a one-off opportunity for the regeneration of Dover, bringing new investment into the area. With UK Government planning approval and supported by a mix of private finance and European Union grant funding, DWDR is transforming the waterfront to ultimately attract a host of leisure facilities as well as a new cargo terminal and distribution centre. DWDR is the single biggest investment ever undertaken by the Port of Dover with approximately £250m committed for its delivery.
