The main stacking area of the Trinity Terminal at Felixstowe, one of the most advanced in Europe, has been designed for the free operation of a larger 16-wheel RTG. Improved pavement design techniques and adaptation of known construction techniques have enabled this to be built with remarkable economy. The berth is equipped with four cranes which are the fastest in Europe and have an outreach of 40m from the berthing face.
Recent development of the Trinity III Container Terminal includes the addition of 630m of container berths which will accommodate all existing classes of container vessels found world-wide and have provision to deal with those of the next generation.
This extension will create a continuous berthing face of 2.37km, far in excess of other terminals in the UK. In addition to the extension of the berthing face the quay, which is a combi-wall construction tied back to a sheet piled anchor wall, is to be extended accordingly.
Dredging is required to allow access to the new berths and the initial operating dredged depth will be 14m, but flexible quay design permits an increase to 15m if this becomes necessary. Dredged fill was used in the creation of an environmental barrier, approximately 1200m long and 8m high, between the port and the surrounding countryside to provide a visual and noise barrier to an adjacent bird sanctuary.
