Hydrodemolition taking place at Portsmouth International Port as large scale shore power project continues

Engineers are continuing to make progress on the Sea Change Project at Portsmouth International Port. Mile End Road will be reduced to one lane for two weeks, so SSE can install electrical cables to upgrade the site’s power supply.

The scheme will allow ships to draw electricity directly from the port and allow them to switch off their engines while docked. This means ships can use battery power when entering or leaving Portsmouth Harbour, reducing carbon emissions and noise pollution.

A port spokesman said hydro-demolition is currently taking place at the site. He added: “Our construction partner Balfour Beatty has been preparing our berths with specialist hydrodemolition technology, which uses high-pressure water jets to remove concrete without damaging underlying reinforcements or surrounding structures.

“This work is needed to ensure the berths can be strengthened to support the cable management system before it’s installed – hydrodemolition leaves a rough, clean surface, which is ideal for bonding new concrete or installing utility lines. It also produces no dust, reduces noise, eliminates micro-cracking, and is safer for workers while being more environmentally considerate in a marine setting.”

A new electricity substation has been installed, which delivers power from the national grid to the port itself. The spokesman added that more than 600 metres of trench have been dug to run cabling from the substation to our berths.

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“A total of 20 separate sites have been set up within the port from the start of the project construction phase to deliver the works, while ensuring we can continue to operate business as usual,” he added.

Funding for the Sea Change Project includes £19.8m from the Department for Transport and £4.6m from Portsmouth City Council - with the local authority owning the port itself. This comes alongside an additional £3m from the council to secure the required power supply.

Port director Mike Sellers previously said the project is “the single biggest project we’ve ever undertaken”. He added: “We want to ensure that not only are we green in terms of our credentials, but we want to be good neighbours to the city and improve air quality also.”