Update on port development activity Falkland Islands
(Press statement Falkland Islands Government:) Stanley, 14 July 2020 - The Falkland Islands Government (FIG) is pleased to announce that it has agreed the start-up of activity for the contract with BAM Nuttall Ltd to design and build a new port for the Falkland Islands. After the original contract was signed by FIG and BAM Nuttall Ltd on 2 April 2020, the contract was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. FIG and BAM have been regularly reviewing the situation since then, and have now agreed that contract activity will commence at the end of July 2020.
Planning will soon begin for stakeholder engagement, which is anticipated to take place in the Islands in the first two weeks of September after the visiting BAM team complete their 14 day quarantine. This activity will include consultation on requirements with all the key industry sectors that use the port, and there will also be a public presentation, streamed live, to give the public a more general overview of the project and its proposed timelines. Key stakeholders will be contacted directly during August with details of the stakeholder sessions and public meeting.
Director of Development and Commercial Services, Catherine Silva Donayre said: ‘I’m delighted to be able to announce the start of this important project and to welcome our Senior Project Manager for the Port, Christopher Chilton, who is now in the Islands and completing his quarantine.’
As previously announced, the port contract provides for early contractor involvement, which will allow designs to be developed collaboratively from the outset, involving the contractor from an early stage in seeking the best solutions to meet current and future demand. The project will be split into three stages, with decision gateways between each stage. The first stage includes stakeholder engagement, surveys, a demand study and Concept Design. At the end of Concept Design, FIG Executive Council will review plans for detailed design stage and be asked to approve the costs and activity schedule for the next stage. The second stage will see agreement of Detailed Design, ending with another decision gateway for FIG to approve costs and plans for construction. The third stage will see a phased construction of the port.
Development and Commercial Services Portfolio Holder, MLA Dr Barry Elsby said: ‘I’d like to thank all those involved in FIG and BAM Nuttall Ltd for their efforts in getting this work started despite the disruption caused by the pandemic. This project will deliver a critical part of our national infrastructure adjacent to the current port in Stanley Harbour. It will offer new facilities that will benefit users in the fishing, tourism and shipping sectors, as well as many other parts of the economy. Construction will be carefully programmed, and operations at FIPASS will be transferred to the new port part way through this stage, in order to ensure the port remains operational at all times. The project will conclude with de-commissioning and removal of FIPASS. It is anticipated that the new port will be fully operational, with the current FIPASS de-commissioned by early 2024 at the latest.’