McConnell Dowell secures contract for VIC Swanson Dock West upgrade

The first stage of works on the Swanson Dock West Remediation Project in Victoria will soon commence following the award of the contract to deliver the project. 

McConnell Dowell has been awarded the contract to undertake Stage 1 works that includes the remediation and upgrade of the existing wharf structure. 

“Swanson Dock West wharf structures must be remediated and upgraded to enable us to continue to handle container vessels for the next 50 years. 

“The existing SDW wharf is of varying ages and forms of construction. Sections of the wharf are close to or beyond the typical design life of 30 years and as a result, major remediation is needed,” Port of Melbourne CEO Saul Cannon said. 

The Swanson Dock West International Container Terminal currently has a three-berth operation. To maintain a two-berth operation while works are being carried out, Port of Melbourne developed a three-stage program that will commence construction from Berth 1. The overall project will focus on completing works from one berth to another, moving progressively towards Berth 3. 

Swanson Dock West is known as a critical International Container Terminal that features a 944-metre wharf with three container handling berths, built in several stages between the 1960s and 1980s. 

“Swanson Dock West will be the fifth project we’ve delivered for Port of Melbourne since 2017 and that means continued jobs and employment opportunities for our local staff, subcontractors and suppliers. We look forward to delivering great outcomes for the Port of Melbourne and its users,” McConnell Dowell General Manager in Victoria and Tasmania David Sims said. 

Scope of works of the Swanson Dock West Remediation Project include: 

• Wharf remediation: 
  • Installation of new piles, including associated deck demolition and re-construction works 
  • Remediation of existing piles 
  • Seaside and Landside Crane Rail replacement at Berth 1, 2 and 3 
  • Fender beam remediation and Berth 3 transverse beam remediation 
  • Deck remediation (soffit and top) 
  • Cathodic protection on exposed re-enforced concrete elements (fender and transverse beams and soffit) 
  • Services (utilities) including remediation of drainage through sheet pile wall 
• Retaining wall and pile remediation: 
  • Remediation (patching and encapsulation) of sheetpile wall at Berths 1, 2 and 3 
  • Remediation of Northern approach wall 
  • Replacement of protective jackets on seaward piles 
• Bollard upgrades: 
  • Replacement of existing 50 tonne bollards with 100 tonne bollards 
  • Installation of 4 x 150 tonne bollards at Berth 1 to maintain DPW’s ability to accommodate vessels of up to 337 metres LOA on Berth 2 during the works 

The remediation project is due to be completed in 2027. 

Source: McConnell Dowell; Port of Melbourne (1, 2); Roads & Infrastructure Australia; Infrastructure Magazine