The Port of Truro has been a hive of activity with the dredger Mannin working away dredging at Town Quay, Garras Wharf and Worth’s Quay, which will continue until November this year during suitable high tide conditions.
Mannin will be taking approximately 5,400 cubic metres of dredged mud and silt to the designated spoil ground in Falmouth Bay.
The MMO (Marine Management Organisation) Licence has given permission for the disposal of dredged material in Falmouth Bay and all required permissions are in place, including ecological and environmental assessments.
The project will remove accumulated mud and silt from key areas of the river bed, increasing the available navigation depth and extending the “tidal window” during which vessels can safely access the upper quays.
The improvements will help support recreational boating, visiting vessels and wider activity within the port.
Down river at Newham the specialised heavy lift barge Terra Marique owned by transport company Robert Wynn and Sons discharged a 180 ton transformer loaded at Tilbury.
The 80-metre long and 17-metre wide barge which discharged another transformer at Truro for the first time in 2008, transports abnormal loads around Europe calling at ports and inland waterway berths where larger ships cannot navigate.
Fitted with four azimuth pump jets on each quarter Terra Marique handles well although the "driver" needs to keep a careful eye on what's happening around them as there are four separate engine controllers requiring a degree of co-ordination.
Terra Marique carried the last Concorde aircraft owned by British Airways from London to Scotland in 2004.
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