Work begins to protect Teesside breakwater from ‘increasingly severe’ storms

Around 55,000t of rock is being installed by PD Ports at South Gare, breakwater, in Redcar, which protects the River Tees, in response to increasingly severe storm conditions. PD Ports said the “multi-million-pound project” will see contractors McLauglin & Harvey, working with Herbosch-Kiere, position individual 2.5m diameter granite rocks, weighing up to 30t each, predominantly below the waterline, where they will absorb and dissipate wave energy before it reaches the structure itself. The first phase will involve installing 15,000t of high-density granite sourced from Norway around the base of the breakwater using a specialist barge. A second phase is planned for summer 2027 when another 40,000t of rock will be installed. Extensive testing was carried out to develop the final design of the project, PD Ports said, including by conducting physical modelling at HR Wallingford in Oxfordshire. There, a 1:50 scale model of the breakwater was subjected to simulated storm conditions seen in a 1-in-200-year storm event. The test replicated the impact of a 9.2m wave. PD Ports described the work as “one of the largest engineering programmes ever undertaken on Teesside’s iconic South Gare breakwater,” and said it would “strengthen the structure against increasingly severe storm conditions”. It took 18 months to complete research, surveys, design development and modelling to understand the best solution for protecting the breakwater. South Gare breakwater was built more than 150 years ago and “provides safe passage for thousands of vessels entering and leaving the River Tees each year and plays a critical role in protecting Teesport and the wider river infrastructure”, PD Ports said. It was damaged during Storm Babet in 2023, which the ports firm said highlights “the growing impact of increasingly extreme weather events on coastal infrastructure”. PD Ports has a legal responsibility to maintain the breakwater because it is the Statutory Harbour Authority for the River Tees. It has committed “significant investment to ensure the breakwater remains fit for purpose for decades to come”. PD Ports director of project engineering Mark Pearson said: “This project is the result of an extensive programme of surveys, research and engineering design work aimed at understanding how the breakwater performs under increasingly challenging sea conditions and identifying the most effective way to strengthen it. “The rocks are being installed in a carefully engineered configuration that reduces the force of the waves before they reach the structure. “By taking energy out of the water, we can significantly reduce the pressure on the breakwater itself and improve its resilience against future storm events.” Have your say or a new account to join the discussion.