Mackley has completed work to repair and extend the slipway at the RNLI Portsmouth lifeboat station.
The inshore lifeboat at Portsmouth has provided search and rescue cover for the eastern Solent for 40 years – and, with 100 shouts a year, is the 10th busiest RNLI station.
The works took around 16 weeks to complete, and saw Mackley upgrade the slipway by resurfacing the existing concrete slab and extending its length.
The refurbished slipway, which is approximately 10m longer than the existing structure, consists of ground-bearing in-situ reinforced concrete elements and new permanent piles.
New drainage, handrails and replacement of some of the gabions completed the project.
During construction, a sheet piled cofferdam was built to enclose the area from the sea, prior to the new, extended slipway being installed. This was encased by new sheet piles which were driven in using a movax.
For the duration of the works, the Portsmouth lifeboats were kept at Southsea Marina and launched using an alternative slipway located further south from the RNLI lifeboat station.
The works formed part of a wider RNLI project to maintain, improve and rebuild lifeboat stations – to accommodate new classes of lifeboats, update crew facilities and ultimately, to ensure an effective lifesaving service.
28 October 2019
