Guernsey firm recruited for emergency repairs to Alderney pontoon

Monday 21 June 2021

The failure of Alderney’s visitor pontoons has been a source of dismay for islanders in recent weeks, with passengers having to clamber over tenders and climb up the commercial quay.

The General Services Committee has been blamed for not maintaining the pontoons, which has led to them failing just as Alderney enters its crucial summer season.

Now help seems to be on the way, at least temporarily.

Pictured: The Little Ferry has broken down in Guernsey, and its replacement "The Lady Maris" continues to drop passengers off at the commercial quay.

Engineers from Siteweld Ltd will be heading to Alderney to repair the ‘pile’, a metal footing which holds the pontoon in place.

“If that repair is successful the plan is to re-establish the previous system for this summer and then start planning for an alternative,” said Chairman of the GSC, Boyd Kelly.

The Guernsey firm will be working during the next big spring tide – 24 to 27 June – to allow access to the damaged part of the pile.

Pictured: One of the pontoons remains on land while its worked on, in preparation for its re-attachment once the pile has been fixed.

Despite concerns the pontoons had been damaged beyond repair, the GSC has repaired one already. Siteweld’s engineers is fitting the second pontoon back in place.

“To attach the longer section without the support of the seaward pile would be short sighted,” said Mr Kelly.

The intention then is to have the pontoons ready for the rest of the summer season and for an alternative, long-term solution to be developed next year.

Pictured: Unloading passengers from the Little Ferry into the building site of the new chandlery in the inner harbour on Thursday evening 10 June after the single section of pontoon has been craned on to the quay. This access is only available on high tide.

All pictures courtesy of David Nash.