Our colleagues in Poti, Georgia, just finished the reconstruction of the existing 1,840-metre breakwater in the port by placing the last of the 7,210 Xblocs®. This marks the completion of the reconstruction part of phase 1A within the whole expansion project of the Poti container terminal. In April 2021,Poti Sea Port Corporation (APM Terminals), which is part of A.P Moller–Maersk and owner of Poti Sea Port, commissioned BESIX and its joint venture partner, STFA Construction, to engage in the design and construction of civil and marine facilities, for building the first phase of a state-of-the-art deep-water port in Poti. Physical works started in April 2022 and the construction of the breakwater was completed less than a year later.
Xblocs® are patented products that provide aesthetic protection against waves and currents, with a strong focus on nature value and sustainability, as they are designed to stimulate aquatic life development in the porous Xbloc® layer and lead up to 50% in reduction of the carbon footprint.
Step by step
The project consists of several stages. The above-mentioned contract was signed for the first stage of development (phase 1A) that entails the existing breakwater reconstruction works and the design of all the phases (1A and future 1B and 2). Phase 1B covers the construction for the future port, including a 400-metre quay for bulk vessels, a 1,485-metre breakwater, approximately 360-metre groyne, and a 300-metre container berth. The subsequent development phase 2 includes further expansion and construction of an additional 300-metre long quay wall, container yard area and buildings, and the installation of mechanical and electrical equipment. Phases 1B and 2 are currently under discussion with the client with the goal to start with the works later this year.
The initial stage of the expansion consisting in the reconstruction of an existing breakwater at the entrance of the port is now completed. These works were carried out while access to the port was maintained. The development of this world-class deep-water port in Poti is extremely important for establishing the logistics corridor through Georgia, benefitting the regional and domestic economies.
François Springuel, Resident Manager: “With the completion of the reconstruction of the breakwater, BESIX is proud to contribute to the first stage of the expansion of the largest port in Georgia, which will have a positive impact on the country and the entire region’s supply chain. We sincerely thank the Employer APM Terminals, the engineering company ARCADIS and our partner STFA Construction for the trusting relationship we have established and look forward to build the next phases successfully together."
Safety first
Several safety initiatives were taken throughout the time of the breakwater reconstruction. Our colleagues in Georgia implemented the BE SAFE scheme and trained 5 new ambassadors, with the help of the QHSE team. Amongst others, a workshop was held to address risks related to “Blind Spots of Mobile Equipment”, involving all employees of the office and site workforce. The project staff practiced detecting blind spots in machines. On the same topic, the project team also purchased 20 wearable ‘anti-collision’ devices. These devices, worn as an armband, help mitigate the man-machine interface and prevent collision between vehicles and workers. This vibration-enabled equipment is worn by both the driver and the worker at risk and notifies both about an imminent collision by powerful vibration signal.
Corporate social responsibility initiatives
Throughout the project, several CSR initiatives were taken by the site team such as helping a local orphanage in the neighbourhood install a new floor. The project team is in discussion with the BESIX Foundation to find ways to provide more help to the orphanage in the future.
With more than 10 different nationalities present on-site, not everyone has the same level of mastery of English, which functions as one of the common languages between all. That’s why the project management team established the Poti English School, dedicated to teaching workers basic English language skills for free. The Poti English School is part of the Right2Learn initiative of BESIX Foundation.
Congratulations to our colleagues in Poti for this nice achievement on the breakwater and for their several adjacent initiatives!