Replacement of X Berth at Guernsey Harbours
- Guernsey Ports announces the £850k replacement of X Berth, essential for passenger operations.
- The berth serves medium-sized vessels, facilitating around 40,000 passengers annually.
- The existing structure, over 30 years old, requires significant upgrades.
- New infrastructure will include modern access arrangements, on-shore power, and a turnstile gate for superyachts.
- Construction will take place over winter, with plans for the berth to be operational by early 2026.
Guernsey Ports is set to invest £850,000 in the replacement of the X Berth at Guernsey Harbours, a critical facility for foot passenger operations.
This project aims to enhance harbour services and modernise the infrastructure that has been in use for over three decades.
The X Berth is pivotal for medium-sized vessels operated by Islands Unlimited and Manche Iles Express.
In 2025, approximately 40,000 passengers are expected to embark or disembark from this location, which is situated at the end of the New Jetty.
The original construction of the berth occurred over 30 years ago, initially designed for the Condor hydrofoils, and adapted for broader usage a decade later.
Recent assessments indicate that the existing pontoon systems have reached the end of their design life and are demanding increasingly frequent maintenance. Furthermore, passenger and crew access arrangements are outdated and require modernisation.
To address these issues, the X Berth's pontoons, gangways, and supporting structures will be reconstructed during the winter months.
James Way, Acting Harbour Master, said: “This is a significant investment in a commercial berth which is essential to our harbour operations. Replacing the X Berth will noticeably improve passenger operations by providing modern access arrangements.”
He further commented on the broader benefits, saying: “This investment supports the States’ wider plans to continue developing sea connectivity and reflects Guernsey Ports’ commitment to enabling those objectives.”
Guernsey Ports has engaged with operators and stakeholders over the past 18 months to ensure the new infrastructure meets future needs and increases commercial opportunities.
Way explained: “The replacement of the X berth has given us the opportunity to review how the current arrangements can be improved. In addition to better access for passengers and crew, the new facilities will provide on-shore power for berthed vessels, and the installation of a new turnstile gate, making the berth available for superyachts to come alongside.”
The first of three new pontoons for the X Berth arrived on 26 September, alongside other essential components such as pile guides and a gangway.
A second delivery followed which included an additional pontoon and self-levelling gangway, with the final delivery scheduled for next week.
The existing X Berth is expected to be decommissioned in early November, following the conclusion of Island Unlimited’s summer schedule.
Guernsey Ports’ Technical Services team has initiated the fabrication of new supporting piles and structural steel bracing to reinforce the pontoon system, with installation set to begin in November.
Construction will occur in phases during the winter months, coordinated around low spring tides to ensure safety and minimise disruption to harbour operations.
The upgraded X Berth is anticipated to be fully operational by early 2026, just in time for the start of the commercial sailing season in March.
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