Pennine continues Spanish success

LANCASHIRE construction group Pennine has got the new year off to a flying start with an extension to an existing Spanish contract which will take its completed value to around £1.44m.

The company, based in Bacup, and its Spanish joint venture partner Geocisa have been commissioned to install an additional 700 stone columns at the southern port of Algeciras.

Pennine, which is part of construction giant Balfour Beatty, specialises in building rigs and other plants for major schemes.

The second phase of this contract means that the two companies – who are working for client Fomento De Construcciones Y Contratas – will now install a total of 1,953 columns at the port.

The companies have now started on the work and it is expected to run until March.

They are required to widen the existing port in order that a new oil pipeline and fuel vessel berth can be installed.

Pennine is operating its specialist drilling equipment called ‘Aquacaster’ from two barges, each equipped with a crane, close to a live shipping lane.

The Pennine site team is providing marine ground improvement expertise and includes a supervisor, two crane operators and an engineer.

Pennine managing director Arwel Williams said that working at depths of between 18m and 30m presents ‘considerable challenges’.

He said: “Correctly locating the placement of the columns is difficult due to the water clouding up and reducing visibility.

“We overcame this problem by fitting the crane with a Global Positioning System that allows the operator to precisely locate each stone column position.”

“Balfour Beatty Ground Engineering – of which we are a part – is continuing to lead the way in marine ground treatment methods and we are the only ground improvement contractor with a dedicated department for marine structure projects.

“With a large number of new ports or port extensions currently in development to cope with increases in shipping traffic and ever bigger container ships the department is quickly developing a wealth of knowledge, with over 30 projects completed worldwide to date and projects in South America and China in the pipeline.”

Established in 1989, Pennine was taken over by Balfour Beatty’s ground engineering division in 2005

Pennine and Geocisa have also recently been awarded a second Spanish port contract in Moana on the North West coast of Spain worth around £250,000.