Work starts on £3million project to add 20,000 tonnes of rock to Port of Sunderland sea defences

Sea defences at Port of Sunderland are getting a 20,000 tonne upgrade.

Granite rocks arrived from Larvik in southwest Norway last year, and are now being put in place - work that cannot be carried out over the autumn and winter period.

The work is part of an ongoing programme to strengthen the defences at the City Council-owned port to protect against sea erosion and damage.

The works have a budget of more than £3million and will see around 150m (492ft) of new rock armour revetment installed at Stonehill Wall. Norwegian rock is regularly used in UK sea defences because of its strength, durability and cost-effective shipping. 

City Council Cabinet Member for Dynamic City, Councillor Kevin Johnston said: "As well as our marine trade and traffic, both importing and exporting goods and materials, we’re continuing to see new businesses invest on the port estate.

"The port is a key part of our city’s infrastructure and this new rock revetment being put in place today are a cost-effective way for us to ensure long-term protection of the port and its key assets.

"Updating and investing in our city's assets and infrastructure is a key part of our bigger City Plan for a more dynamic, healthy and vibrant Sunderland so it remains a key priority for the City Council."

The strengthened defences will also help protect the 12-acre port site that is earmarked for a new plastics recycling plant - the first of its kind in the UK - to be operated by Norwegian company Quantafuel.

Port Director Matthew Hunt added: "This investment in augmenting the port’s coastal defences further enhances the value of the site as a long-term investment location for the private sector in key markets for the port, that includes commodity, circular economy, offshore and renewables, and the multimodal sector."