Execution of the RAOS 9 quay - Port of Santander

Location: Santander
Contracting Entity: Autoridad Portuaria de Santander
Budget: 24,272,085.32 Eur.
Execution period: July 2022 - January 2024.

Characteristics:
The project involves the construction of a 252-metre long quay that will accommodate vessels of more than 60,000GT and will have the necessary superstructure for container cranes, consisting of a cantilever and a rear beam along the entire length of the quay. It will also include a 22,512m2 esplanade and the corresponding supply services.
In order to carry out this work, it is necessary to dredge 920,619m3 by land (198,455m3) and by sea (722,164m3). The onshore resources consist of two long reach backhoes of approximately 20m and the offshore resources consist of four backhoe dredgers working at a maximum depth of 18ms with tidal strokes of up to 5.46m.
The new quay is formed by 5 caissons of 2,992m3 of reinforced concrete with dimensions of 50.17 meters in length, 19.20 meters in breadth and 18.25 meters in depth, lightened by means of rectangular cells. These caissons were manufactured with the Cyes PC caisson system, which features an independent sliding formwork. This allows part of the caissons to be executed afloat, giving greater versatility to manufacture in locations with a shallower draught, as was the case, and to optimise lead times. This way, the caissons were manufactured in less than two months, working 24/7, with around 200 workers in different shifts including formworkers, reinforcers, pontonniers and sliders.
Furthermore, the new quay is adjacent to a chemical terminal in operation, so a retaining wall with precast piles, in-situ piles, anchors and sheet piles is being built to ensure its operability during the entire dredging and backfilling phase.
This project is scheduled to be completed in 18 months.