‘Mind-boggling’ engineering marvel in Bristol Channel wins award

A hugely complex engineering scheme on the bottom of the Bristol Channel has won the prestigious Collaboration Award at the ICE South West Civil Engineering Awards 2023.

The project forms part of the construction of the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in Somerset.

It was led by a team from Balfour Beatty based at Avonmouth Docks which involved using some of the world’s largest heavy lifting vessels.

This feat of engineering saw the final 5,000 tonne concrete structure towed out 30 nautical miles into the Channel to meet two floating heavy lift cranes “Gulliver” and “Rambiz” – each the size of a football pitch with combined lifting capacity of 7,300 tonnes. The two cranes then worked in tandem to place the cooling-water head structure onto the seabed.

The heads, weighing up to five tonnes each, will connect to five miles of tunnels supplying the plant’s nuclear reactors with cooling water.

The level of teamwork, coordination and meticulous planning required to complete the operation safely was praised by the judges, who felt the project exemplified the collaborative nature of modern engineering.

The team behind the project described the achievement of placing the heads within millimetre precision, while working in the world’s second highest tidal range, as “nothing less than mind-boggling”.

Ten project awards and two individual trophies were presented at the ICE South West Civil Engineering Awards in association with Kier BAM on Friday at a special ceremony in Bristol hosted by the TV presenter and STEMnet ambassador Rob Bell. The annual awards aim to recognise and celebrate the achievement of regional engineers and project teams.

A civil engineer from Bristol was named Graduate of the Year. Maddie Eaves, who works for Jubb Consulting Engineers, impressed the judges with her career achievements, technical ability and leadership, including being chosen to head the civil engineering design for a £1bn development in the Netherlands.

She was also lauded for her desire to give back to society by volunteering as an ICE STEM Ambassador to help inspire and support future engineers.

The judges pointed out that Maddie showed a high degree of maturity in her approach to continually improving her skills and experience.

The National Trust’s Prior Park Landscape Garden in Bath picked up two awards for a crucial re-engineering scheme to save an 18th century dam and ponds, including the People’s Choice Award.

The restoration project, designed by Binnies and constructed by Alun Griffiths Contractors, preserves a beloved historic vista, featuring one of England’s last Palladian Bridges.

On the awards ceremony, Miranda Housden, director for ICE South West Region, said: “The ICE South West Civil Engineering Awards 2023 showcased a strong field of entries, marking a competitive year that underlines the region’s depth of expertise and achievement.

“These amazing projects are taking on some of our most significant regional challenges. And with the talent of our apprentices and graduates, the future for civil engineering in the South West looks very promising.”

Main photo: ICE South West

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