Projects
The Isles of Scilly community needs infrastructure repairs and construction, as well as large scale public and private building projects that require special materials and machinery to be delivered to the islands. We have the knowledge and resource to support and enable these projects.
Building Off-Island Quays
We purchased a landing craft to ship heavy plant and materials between the mainland and three smaller islands in the archipelago.
New quays were built over the existing structures that were becoming unstable and no longer fit for purpose. These extensive renovations were carried out on St Agnes, Bryher and St Martin’s. In total the works took in the region of 18 months.
This was a heavy engineering project that necessitated transporting a large number of pre-fabricated concrete blocks weighing approximately. two – three tonnes each, alongside 1000s of tonne bags of sand, aggregate and cement. Equipment that needed to be shipped included large swing shovels, excavators and six tonne dumper trucks.
Project management was by Nuttall John Martin Construction Ltd. however overall responsibility lay with the Duchy of Cornwall.
A new school for St Mary’s
We purchased a small coaster that was used to ship all the materials for the new Five Islands Academy at Old Town.
Thousands of tonnes of aggregate, sand and cement had to be shipped from the mainland a well as pre-fabricated concrete flooring beams, timber and glazing units, indeed everything needed for the construction of a large, public building.
Kier ran the project for the Council of the Isles of Scilly.
The steady and reliable supply chain was cited as one of the reasons the project was completed within 18 months.
World Pilot Gig Championships
One of the highlights of the Isles of Scilly calendar is the World Pilot Gig Championships which are usually held over the first May Spring Bank Holiday weekend.
The championships were first held in 1990, only attracting a few crews from Cornwall, but in the intervening years the amount of pilot gigs taking part has increased with crews coming from all over the south-west and now the world.
Around 170 gigs have to be transported from the mainland to the islands and they all must arrive in good shape and in good time.
Planning begins at Christmas with a gig grid being created; a spreadsheet that covers both the number of gigs that have to come across and the vessels that might be used to ship them. Once the final gigs have registered for the event, the grid lets us know what date they start being shipped. This can be as early as the end of February to get everyone ready for the off.
