Churchill Barriers progress report

Islands councillors have received a progress report following the OIC’s decision in December to acquire a caisson device for a trial deployment off the second Churchill Barrier.

A caisson is a concrete structure which can be sunk and refloated as required. They are used for a variety of harbours and seabed projects.

The council’s aim is to use the caisson to assess the potential of using such devices to reduce the impact of waves on Barrier Number Two. While on its own one caisson is not expected to solve wave over topping at Barrier Number Two, it is hoped that the deployment will give the council further insights into the issues involved.

According to an OIC spokesman, the data and experience gathered from the deployment exercise will be useful in complementing ongoing engineering and technical studies on potential wave overtopping solutions, including those that involve the possibility of tidal energy generation.

He added that the progress report had to be considered in private at the policy and resources committee earlier this week, because it involved commercially sensitive information and that the council will shortly issue a further project update.