Explosives Handling Jetty at RNAD Coulport on Loch Long, Scotland

SPIE Matthew Hall have recently been awarded the first phase of the Implementation works of a £25m project to refurbish the Explosives Handling Jetty at RNAD Coulport on Loch Long in Scotland.

The Explosives Handling Jetty is a floating dock used in the loading and offloading of both strategic and conventional weapons from the Royal Naval submarine fleet. When the facility was first brought into commission in 1993, it was intended that it would be closed twice during its 50 year design life for major refurbishment, firstly in 2010 and again in 2027. Over the years, the facility's role has increased beyond that originally envisaged and therefore two, two year shutdowns are no longer considered appropriate.

SPIE Matthew Hall were invited back in 2006 under our AMEC BFS banner, supported by AMEC NNC, to develop a plan to allow the refurbishment of the facility without the need for significant periods of withdrawal of service. At this point the "Explosives Handling Jetty Continuous Availability Project (EHJ CAP) was born. Our selection as main contractor on the project was based on our previous experience of working within the nuclear authorised site on various projects let under the Regional Prime Contract (Scotland).

The project has developed through various distinct phases involving a fully detailed technical condition survey, the production of a Through Life Refurbishment Plan to the current design and Implementation phase of the initial refurbishment works.

The detailed design and nuclear approval process began in January 2009 and is due to complete in February 2011, after which all proposed works will have been fully designed and subjected to scrutiny by the nuclear approvals authorities.

The contract to actually carry out the first tranche of designed and approved tasks was let between Defence Estates and the Regional Prime Contractor, Turner Estates Solutions (formerly AMEC Turner) on the 18th December 2009. SPIE Matthew Hall being appointed as 1st tier supplier project manager in early January 2010.

The contract involves the carrying out of numerous refurbishment tasks to the facility, including the replacement of the motors and controls of the travelling cranes, the installation of new 60Hz power distribution systems and repair and application of new protective coatings to the external cladding.

This is the first major refurbishment of a nuclear authorised facility whilst maintaining operations undertaken by the Royal Navy and is therefore the subject of interest by numerous government departments, including the cabinet office we are assured.

SPIE Matthew Hall are supported by three major 2nd tier suppliers, Jacobs Engineering (Nuclear Design), Wates (Building & Civil Contractors) and Converteam (Cranes Controls Contractor).