A new wharf, dolphin and slipway at King Edward Point Research Station on South Georgia in the sub-Antarctic was completed in May 2020. The new wharf was constructed to accommodate the new UK polar research ship, the RRS Sir David Attenborough and to provide continued operational support to the Government of South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI).
The new £11 million wharf was commissioned by the Natural Environment Research Council (UKRI-NERC), the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI). King Edward Point is a marine and fisheries research station is owned by the GSGSSI and operated on their behalf by British Antarctic Survey (BAS).
The construction marks the latest milestone for the £140 million UK Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Programme commissioned by UKRI-NERC.
The new wharf was completed in just 108 days and three weeks ahead of schedule. Two years of meticulous scheduling before construction meant that the placement of every nut and bolt was planned in advance and shipped directly from the UK.
As Technical Advisor to BAS, Ramboll provided the initial concept design and was onsite to supervise the construction, while BAM developed the detailed designs and constructed the new facility, with Sweco acting as BAM’s design lead. Turner & Townsend also provided cost management for the project.
December 2019: Rodent Detection Dogs inspect the cargo on the MV Billesborg before it leaves the UK
22 January 2020: MV Billesborg completes in journey from the UK. The team unload 1600 tonnes of material, plant and equipment to start work on the wharf’s construction
Mid-February 2020: The first sheet piles for the new wharf have been installed
March 2020: The new slipway is constructed
April 2020: Diver Dave Wyatt burning the sheet piles to level off the slipway
8 May 2020: MV Billesborg is one of the first ships to moor at the new wharf in early May – it arrives to decommission the site. Credit: Bav Sasikandarajah
May 2020: The RRS James Clark Ross and MV Pharos SG coming into the new wharf. Credit: Fran Pothecary
Mid May 2020: Construction and station staff before they leave South Georgia. Credit: Alan Roper
The UK’s Antarctic infrastructure is being modernised in order to support world-class science for the next generation. The new wharf will enable the RRS Sir David Attenborough to berth and undertake critical environmental research in the waters around South Georgia.
The project was joint funded between the partners: NERC £4million, FCO £4million (through the UK Government CSSF fund), GSGSSI £2.2million and BAS £0.8million
The King Edward Point Wharf upgrade was part of the Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation (AIM) Programme. This long-term programme will enable a world-leading capability to ensure that Britain remains at the forefront of climate, biodiversity and ocean research in the Polar regions.
The aims of the King Edward Point research station modernisation project are to:
Our in-house project management, operational and logistics teams are working closely with external partners to deliver the modernisation projects at BAS’s Antarctic research stations.
BAM Nuttall is British Antarctic Survey’s construction partner for the Rothera & Islands modernisation projects.
Partnership Operations Director
Construction Manager
Project Manager
Design Team Leader
Procedures Controller
Ramboll is British Antarctic Survey’s technical advisor, supporting a number of projects in the Antarctic.
Contract Director
Contract Lead
Project Manager – Buildings
Discipline Leader – Marine
Discipline Leader – MEP
Jon Ager joined British Antarctic Survey as Director of the UK Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Programme in 2019, after serving for almost 35 years in the Royal Air Force and aerospace […]
Alan Roper works from Ramboll and is currently Site Supervisor for the new wharf at King Edward Point Research Station in South Georgia as part of the Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation […]
Joe Corner, BAS Islands Project Manager, is currently overseeing the redevelopment of King Edward Point wharf on South Georgia Island in the Sub-Antarctic. The project will enable the new UK […]
RRS Sir David Attenborough visits London as pre-COP event ahead of first mission to Antarctica. The UK’s new polar research ship is making its London debut in Greenwich (Thursday 28 October […]
British Antarctic Survey and the partners delivering the Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Programme are finalists for this year’s British Construction Industry (BCI) Awards in the ‘Partnership Initiative of the Year’ category. […]
The completion marks the latest milestone for the £140m UK Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Programme commissioned by UKRI-NERC and undertaken by the British Antarctic Survey. Surrounded by spectacular scenery, dominated by […]
Engineering, design and consultancy company Ramboll has been re-appointed as Technical Advisors for British Antarctic Survey (BAS), successfully winning the next phase of work in a series of projects to […]
Construction expert BAM has been chosen to partner with British Antarctic Survey (BAS) to modernise UK Antarctic and other research facilities, enabling British scientists to continue delivering world class research […]
Technical advisor appointment
King Edward Point Research Station on South Georgia is a centre for marine and fisheries research.
Our state-of-the-art polar science ship provides scientists access to remote and challenging marine environments across the Antarctic and Arctic.
