In 2015 Able submitted MLA-2015-00334 to carry out dredging in support of the operations of Able Seaton Port. After 12 variations the application now covers maintenance of the approach to Seaton Port, captial dredging to adapt the approach and capital dredging to alter the docks within the port.
“Requesting new licence to replace previous one L/2012/00160/8. Objective is to improve access into Able Seaton Port by deepening approach channel and maintaining access thereafter. The facility is an emerging business and works will be undertaken on demand in accordance with commercial developments.
There is an immediate need (Q1/2017) to dredge the approach channel and holding to -6.5mCD in order to receive the Shell Brent Delta module.
As discussed at a meeting with MMO (Adam Chumley/Matthew Kinmond) on 26/10/16, further dredging campaigns will be undertaken in response to commercial demand. Volumes of material to be dredged and disposed of are given in the attached spreadsheet.
Dredging to be undertaken on a 24/7 basis to maximise use of plant.
Tees Bay A - Disposal of dredged silts and soft material.
Tees Bay C - Disposal of dredged clay.
Able Seaton Port Holding Basin and Channel -
Removal of silt sediment on the grounding bed within the dry dock by divers using hand suction - maximum amount 700 dry tonnes.
MMO calculation of wet tonnes is a lower figure than applicant will remove, so request to revert to applicant requested higher wet tonnes figures.
Extension of the license to include to dredge the wet dock (previously dry dock) adjacent to berths 8 and 9, from present depth of 6.5 meters to 8.5 meters, to accommodate semi submersible rigs. Request exemption from any seasonal limitations to dredging due to being with wet dock.
Extend license to include TERRC Basin, using a wide range of dredgers, this is necessary to allow access Quay 6 by a wider range of vessels.
Extension to allow the use of erosion control matting over the intertidal flats where the existing slopes will be steepened, this has also been requested of Able UK by the Power Station.
Correct coordinates on the license to align with real areas where work is being undertaken.
Include additional areas within the holding basin where an additional 30,000 tonnes of clay will be removed. This will result in a deepening of the area within the holding basin from -9.5mCD to -13.5mCD, making this part of Quay 10.
Permit the use of erosion control matting, correct error in existing coordinates on the main licence for 'Able Seaton Port, Quays 10 and 11', all areas were assessed in the HRA.
Widen Seaton Port Approach Channel from 85m to 100m by capital dredging around 75,000m3 of clay and silt material. So update the coordinates for the site “Seaton Port Approach Channel”, to include the widened channel, amend Activity 1.2 to include an additional 145,000m3 of material and to include an -0.5m over-dredge allowance for each dredging activity (the total volumes will not change).
This variation is all about correcting numerous errors which were in the original application and in a number of the subsequent variations, all the errors are claimed to make no significant difference to the impact of the application (editor's note - concerning that so many errors exist, as while these have been corrected, how many errors have occurred in the implementation of the license which have not been recorded).
1) Correct Incorrect Coordinates: 6 coordinates on Licence Schedules (Able Seaton Port Holding basin and Channel) are to be amended correctly: Historically Seaton Channel has been dredged to a depth of up to - 5.8mCD and a width of up to 164m; Seaton Channel joins the River Tees at a location that is maintained by PD Ports at -11.7mCD (refer to Admiralty Chart for Tees and Hartlepool Bays); The intersection between Seaton Channel and the River Tees is formed by a slope falling (at around 1:3) from Seaton Channel to the River Tees. See attached drawing ASC002-00003 where the slope has been annotated; One of the original objectives of the MLA was to obtain consent for lowering Seaton Channel to -9.5mCD over a width of 85m up to its intersection with the River Tees; The coordinates for Seaton Channel in the original MLA were specified at the top of the slope connecting Seaton Channel to the River Tees; The substitute coordinates submitted in Variation 10 amends the coordinates so that they are located at the bottom of the slope. See attached of PDF table 2) Correct Incorrect Quantities: non-material corrections in addition to the coordinate corrections: i.Due to historic errors, the disposal tonnages are not consistent with the dredge volumes. In particular: a.V3 of the Licence permitted 1,212,000 wet tonnes of clay to be deposited but this have been 1.221,000T (555,000m3*2.2); b.V6 of the Licence increased the permitted capital dredge volume of clay in Activity 1.1 from 545,000m3 to 575,000m3 but there was no commensurate increase in the permitted disposal tonnage as there should have been; c.V8 of the Licence increased the permitted total capital dredge volume in Activity 1.1 by 145,000m3, but again there was no commensurate increase in the permitted disposal tonnage as there should have been. We request changes to the disposal tonnages so that they are consistent with the dredge volumes. A spreadsheet is attached to evidence the working. No new dredging is being requested. These are simply corrections to the disposal tonnages that have occurred due to historic drafting errors. ii.We request a change to the volumes provided in Activity 1.2 as the volumes of silt and clay have been wrongly transposed from V6 of the Licence and both were incorrectly identified as silt in V7. iii.We request that where annual volumes are specifically stated for Site 2, these volumes can be carried over to subsequent years as dredging may not occur every year but silt will still accumulate. iv.V8 allowed for Seaton Channel to be widened and a consequential additional capital dredge of 145,000m3 . We advised that this would be silts and clays. All of the material is expected to be dredged by BHD and will comprise silts/soft clays and stiff clay. We propose amending Activity 1.1 so that the whole of the additional dredging is classed as clay and that Activity 4.1 is amended to permit the anticipated 50,000m3 of silts/soft clays to be deposited in Tees Bay A. 5.A number of dredging methods are consented within the Licence but Activity 1.1 only describes backhoe dredging, we request that the methodology is extended to include TSHD which is consented for other Activities. 6.We request a change to the text describing the methodology of Activity 2.1 to remove reference to 30,000T of clay which is not in any event listed in the quantities for that Activity. 7.We request that Activity 2.3 is split into two Activities, one covering the capital works and the other the maintenance works. 8.We request changes to the description and methodology of Activities 3.1 and 4.1 to remove inconsistencies in the current wording. 9.We request corrections to the description of the source of material specified in Activity 3.1 and 4.1 All of our proposed textual changes to the Licence are included in the attached WORD document with the changes tracked for transparency.
The proposal will deepen a minor area of the existing dredged “Holding Basin” from -9.5mCD to -13.5mCD, which is the same depth as Quay 10 and 11. This will result in increased activity of dredging and disposal of 1,250m3. The dredge will be completed within one day and undertaken by a backhoe dredger with disposal at Tees Bay C, in alignment with Marine Licence L/2017/00012/9 Changes 1.Dredge Quantity in Activity 1.1 to increase by 1,250m3 2.Disposal Activity 3.1 - 1,474,000 tonnes will increase to 1,476,750 tonnes. 3.Updated Dredge Location Plan Schedule Document - “Dredge Location Drawing ASC-001-00009 (L)”.
Update of Schedule 3 of the licence to reflect the co-ordinates approved in Variation 11, illustrated on Drawing ASC-001-00009 L, which forms Schedule 6 of the licence. The discrepancy between the approved co-ordinates in Schedules 3 and 6 is illustrated on attached drawing ASC-006- 00022 A.
2005 sampling - only supplied as poorly scanned pdf - pdf.
2016 sampling - surface channel - only trace metal data - MMO Template Spreadsheet - Sample Results 20.04.2016.xlsm - sediment data explorer.
2017 sample - surface berth 8 and 9 - only trace metal, PAH, tin data - MMO Template Spreadsheet - 20171110 SAM201700066A Able Seaton Port Berth 8 9 MMO Results Template(4).xlsm - sediment data explorer.
2020 sample - surface port and channel - more complete sample set - MMO Template Spreadsheet - MAR00562.xlsm - sediment data explorer.
2022 sample - surface port and channel - MMO Template Spreadsheet - CorrectedMAR01671 MMO_Results_Template Rev 1.xlsm - sediment data explorer.
The work has used a number of dredgers including the Magnor, a backhoe dredger. The Magnor has a 40m3 bucket with an arm which is able to dredge to depths of 32m.
This Boskalis film shows the Magnor in operation and explains how it works.
You can see the Magnor at work in Seaton Channel in the film below.
Drone video of the Causeway dredger in Seaton Channel:
Drone video of the dredgers Causeway and Magnor in Seaton Channel:
Film of dredger Magnor operating on the south side of the Seaton Channel, filmed from the mudflats of North Gare.