Quay construction starts with the foundations
Building the new ferry quay and the RoRo ramp is based on extensive piling works. The seabed conditions impose significantly higher technical requirements than in typical port development projects. Conditions vary across the port area: the load-bearing moraine layer is found at depths of 15–30 meters, while the clay layer can in places reach 50 meters. Bedrock may lie as deep as 70 meters.
“Driving piles through such thick clay layers requires special expertise and dedicated equipment,” says Project Manager Marko Saarelma.
250 meters of quay and more than 300 steel piles installed into the seabed
The 250-meter quay wall and roll-on-roll-off ramp form the core of the project. The steel piles installed beneath the quay act as the load-bearing foundation for the entire structure.
The work phase includes transporting, preparing, and installing the piles: they are delivered to the port, equipped on site, and moved aboard the installation vessel for driving. Some piles are installed vertically, while others are driven at precisely defined angles to provide the required stiffness and resistance to lateral forces. This phase determines the final structural rigidity of the quay and represents the largest single work stage of the project.
Efficient construction is enabled by the Nordic Titan jack-up barge, equipped with a crane offering a 300-ton lifting capacity.