Sea defences strengthened at Port of Sunderland

The granite rock, which arrived from Larvik in southwest Norway last year, are now being put in place as this work cannot be carried out over the autumn and winter period.

Sunderland City Council owns and manages the Port of Sunderland and has an ongoing programme of works to strengthen and help protect the port's estate against sea erosion and damage.

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

Sunderland City Council's 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, said: "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."