Issue - meetings

To approve the procurement and award of the contract for mechanical dredging at Ramsgate Port & Harbour

Meeting: 26/09/2024 - Cabinet (Item 44)

44 Mechanical Dredging Contract pdf icon PDF 156 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Cabinet noted that the council was a Statutory Harbour Authority and had a duty to maintain the Port of Ramsgate and Ramsgate Royal Harbour. During the summer season a large number of visitors from around the UK and Europe visit the Harbour. In order to safely facilitate these vessels the Council must invest in regular maintenance dredging to maintain safe access and navigation for vessels. In addition, without regular dredging to maintain safe access to the Port and Harbour the council risked breaching the open port duty.

 

In Ramsgate the two principal sediment types (silt and sand) were removed via two entirely different methods. A method of mechanical dredging known as grab dredging would be used to remove sand at Ramsgate. The proposed term contract (the subject of this report) would be based on the grab dredging method which uses a large 360 degree long reach excavator mounted on the deck of the dredger to dig (or grab) the sand from the sea bed. The recurring nature of the dredging requirement at the Port and Harbour meant that a multi-year term contract was the most appropriate procurement method for this work to be contracted.

 

The awarded contract for routine maintenance dredging would be funded through an existing recurring revenue budget of £145,500. The estimated value of the contract would be £72,750 per year, which was 50% of the annual budget for dredging. The maximum contract term would be 5 years (core term of 3 years with potential for a 2 year extension), making a total estimated contract value of £363,750.

 

Councillor Everitt proposed, Councillor Yates seconded and Cabinet agreed the following:

 

1. The key decision to award a contract with a value in excess of £250,000 for mechanical dredging at the Port of Ramsgate and Ramsgate Royal Harbour, following a procurement exercise;

 

2. That the Director of Environment, having sought advice from legal services, agree the final terms of any contract award and sign the contract with the successful bidder.


Meeting: 17/09/2024 - Overview & Scrutiny Panel (Item 36)

36 Mechanical Dredging Contract pdf icon PDF 84 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Tony Marmo, Head of Coastal and Public Realm introduced the report and made the following comments:

 

·  The Council was a Statutory Harbour Authority and had a duty to maintain the Port of Ramsgate and Ramsgate Royal Harbour;

·  During the summer season, a large number of visitors from around the UK and Europe visit the Harbour. In order to safely facilitate these vessels the Council must invest in regular maintenance dredging to maintain safe access and navigation for vessels. In addition, without regular dredging to maintain safe access to the Port and Harbour the council risks breaching the open port duty;

·  In Ramsgate, the two principal sediment types (silt and sand) were removed via two entirely different methods. A method of mechanical dredging known as grab dredging would be used to remove sand at Ramsgate;

·  The proposed term contract (the subject of this report) would be based on the grab dredging method which used a large 360 degree long reach excavator mounted on the deck of the dredger to dig (or grab) the sand from the sea bed;

·  The recurring nature of the dredging requirement at the Port and Harbour means that a multi-year term contract was the most appropriate procurement method for this work to be contracted;

·  The awarded contract for routine maintenance dredging would be funded via an existing recurring revenue budget of £145,500. The estimated value of the contract will be £72,750 per year, which was 50% of the annual budget for dredging. The maximum contract term would be 5 years (core term of 3 years with potential for a 2 year extension), making a total estimated contract value of £363,750.

 

Members asked questions and made comments as follows:

 

·  The Panel said that this was a welcome proposal;

·  They also asked if there was a way of addressing the problems within the inner harbour because that area was shallow in places, particularly at the Clock Tower end.

 

Matthew Kenney, Maritime Operations Manager and Harbour Master responded as follows:

 

·  The East Pier structure, around the pier heads was where most of the dredging would be taking place;

·  Officers were surveying the rest of the marina to identify areas that need dredging.

·  If additional funding were available this proposed contract would be used for dredging those other areas as well.

 

The Panel noted the report and did not make any formal recommendations.