Back in 2016, APS conceived its second carousel for the production of armour units, which would later be used for the construction of a breakwater in Calais. The CALAIS PORT 2015 project, built on a European scale, aims to enlarge and refurbish the Calais port. Solutions needed to be found to respond to the evolution of up to 40% in traffic that is expected for 2030, and also to be able to welcome new and bigger ferries. Two years later, the project is about to end.
Calais’ main breakwater completed in December 2018
After two years of activity in Calais, the new port’s main breakwater is finally finished for APS. Measuring slightly more than 3 kms in length and composed of 11,000 XBlocs® out of the factory, the construction work lasted almost 29 months. 29 months during which CBE Group technicians made themselves available for the 4 changes of configuration that were necessary to adapt the plant to the different sizes of the armour units that needed to be produced.
To achieve the main breakwater of Calais port, 5 different sizes of armour units were needed : the factory was initially configured by APS for the production of 4m3 blocs weighing 10 tons each. Interventions were required over the months to go to 6m3, 8m3, 10m3 and finally 12m3. These last blocs weighed 25 tons each. Different sizes are necessary to adapt to the geographical and geological conditions of the area, and to answer the client’s specific needs.
The APS factory still functions for CALAIS PORT
Besides the main breakwater, the factory provided by APS continues to supply Xblocs® for the other breakwaters which will shape the new port of Calais. CBE Group assisted its client remotely in November 2018 for a new change of configuration in order to go back to 4m3 Xblocs®.
In 2019, the production still goes on for 4m3 armour units, and will go back to a production of 6m3 Xblocs® again in february. Two other interventions are planned for the CBE Group team to program the production of 8m3 Xblocs® and then of 10m3 Xblocs® before the end of summer.
The new port of Calais should be completed by January 2021.
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