Remedial works complete at Liverpool 2 sinkhole

Bam Nuttall has completed remedial works at Liverpool 2 as the port prepares for its second phase of development.

A sinkhole first appeared at the berth of the £400m Liverpool 2 deep water container terminal in February, three months after the facility opened.

Main contractor Bam Nuttall, in a joint venture with Van Oord, was drafted back in to investigate the causes of the 10m sinkhole.

Earlier this year, Peel Ports said remedial works would be complete on the project by August, and Place North West understands that the sinkhole has now been fully repaired.

Work was undertaken to inject grout into a weakness in the quay wall which caused the initial sinkhole, and Peel Ports said that extensive surveys and investigations were undertaken to make sure the remainder of the terminal was unaffected.

The Bam Nutall-Van Oord joint venture first completed construction of the £400m terminal in 2016 after lengthy delays blamed on bad weather and engineering issues. The JV replaced original contractor Lendlease on the project in 2013.

It is also understood that Peel Ports has issued tender documents for the second phase of the container port, which will see three more ship-to-shore cranes and 10 rail-mounted cranes installed at the port.

This next phase is expected to complete in 2019.

In September this year, Peel Ports also announced that it was in advanced contract discussions with both a rail provider and shippers, with the aim of running the first services for its customers before the end of 2017.

Peel Ports and Bam Nuttall have been contacted for comment.