Gleeds has cleared up things to start the works of a £55 million cruise ship terminal at Southampton’s Western Docks. The property and construction consultancy firm has partnered with Associated British Ports (ABP), MSC Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings.
The strategic partnership has resulted in the scheme’s acquisition which will become the port’s fifth dedicated facility for cruise passengers. Once the terminal has reached completion it will be able to accommodate the world’s largest ships.
The construction will allow each ship to carry 6,000 passengers. It will also feature a host of sustainable features, including the use of glulam beams and roof-mounted photovoltaic panels. “Shore Power connectivity” will be boasted with the construction.
The new connectivity feature will enable suitably equipped vessels to plug into a local power supply while in port, as opposed to using onboard generators. Work on the 11,695m2 building began in early 2020 after a grant from the Government’s Getting Building Fund was received.
However, there were no interruptions in the construction process due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The fibre reinforced ground floor slab and steel frame have already been installed, with curtain walling and cladding now well underway.
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