The lively main channel of the Port of Turku needs regular maintenance in order to stay in shape. The banks of the River Aura, which flows through Turku, are prone to erosion, and the Rajakari-Turku channel, in particular, suffers from the phenomenon. Turku’s main harbour is located at the mouth of the River Aura, which carries sediment into the area.
“The sedimentation in the harbour area and channel poses a significant challenge to port operations – clay, mud and sand are constantly being carried into the entrance fairway,” says Project Manager Marko Saarelma.
As a result, maintenance dredging is required at regular intervals. Appropriately scheduled and implemented action ensures sufficient navigation depth and safety in the channel and harbour basin.
“A few years had passed since the previous dredging, so it was an opportune time to do it again,” explains Saarelma.
Terramare’s maintenance dredging project covered a total of 12 different areas, from which the accumulated sediment was removed. The work began in October 2018 and was completed in January 2019.
Cooperation with Terramare went extraordinarily well throughout the contract. The skilled personnel and high-performance equipment immediately inspired trust in the contractor as well as belief in the completion of the work to the agreed timetable. Through this trust, at no point in our compact organisation did we have to tie up resources unreasonably during the contract, thanks to the skilled contractor.
Jouni Hildén, Technical Planning Manager, Port of Turku Ltd