14/1/2010 - Port of Workington fully operational again after successful dredging operation : Cumbria County Council

A £1m dredging operation to clear up the debris and waste left in the Port of Workington by the November floods has proven a success, with the port restored to full working order ahead of schedule.

Dredging started on Christmas Day and was completed on January 8th. Underwater checks carried out since then have revealed that shipping channels have been successfully cleared and the port is now capable of accepting its upper limit of 10,000-tonne deadweight vessels often used to transport gypsum and timber products.

Dredging teams worked round the clock in 12-hour shifts to complete the work, depositing around 120,000 metric tonnes of debris further out to sea - the equivalent of shifting 24 Olympic-sized swimming pools full of boulders, rocks, trees, silt and general debris.

The freezing conditions actually helped the dredging operation, as the reduced water flow of the River Derwent meant that the two dredging vessels were working in calmer conditions in the port’s turning basin and access channel.

The success of the operation means the Port of Workington is now fully open for business. This is an enormous achievement building on the considerable work it carried out to remain open in the aftermath of the floods in December, where it continued to run at around 70% of its total capacity despite the damage caused by the floods. The port's cargo handling service enabling road and rail transfers has remained operational throughout.

The effort to restore the Port of Workington is part of the overall co-ordinated flood recovery effort led by Cumbria County Council to ensure the impact of the floods on businesses in West Cumbria is minimised. The county council has been working closely with Cumbria Chamber of Commerce and key partners including the district councils and Northwest Regional Development Agency to put in place the necessary support for businesses affected by the floods. It has also been working with Cumbria Tourism to help deliver the message nationally and internationally that Cumbria is still very much open for business.

The Port of Workington and the county council is still working with insurers to quantify the cost of the clean-up and repair operation. Further works will be required on the river side of the harbour, particularly rebuilding the retaining wall at the end of Merchant's Quay, replacing river bank supporting walls, and repairing the Old Railway footbridge and cycleway which was damaged in the floods. These necessary repairs have no impact on the current operational ability of the port, but current estimates predict the repair bill could be up to £5.75m.

Cllr Tony Markley, Cumbria County Council's cabinet member responsible for economic development, said:

"Getting the port dredged and back to normal so soon is another key achievement in the flood recovery operation. The Port of Workington is a vital gateway for supplies for many businesses in West Cumbria and beyond. People have been working flat out to get this work done and at the same time have been keeping the port open for business. They should be congratulated for their sterling efforts in achieving this key milestone."