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Shipbuilder worried for future amid silt in docks

Carmelo GarciaLocal Democracy Reporting Service
Carmelo Garcia A white ship under construction surrounded by scaffolding and a ladder. Carmelo Garcia
About 50,000 cubic metres (1.8 million cubic ft) of silt entered Gloucester Docks last year

A historic dock's last shipbuilder fears for the future of his business because of a rise of silt in the water.

Tommi Nielsen's firm, based at Gloucester Docks, has worked on wooden tall ships from across the globe over the past four decades. But silt build-up has made it harder for larger vessels to access the site.

The main cause of the silt is due to water being pumped from the River Severn into the docks. Nielsen said he cannot get any more three-masted tall ships in for work due to the issue.

The Canal and River Trust, which manages the maintenance of the docks, said it will "continue to work hard to improve conditions" and will do "all it can" to maintain the operability of the docks.

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Neilsen said the build-up of silt is from water pumped into the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal, which then reaches the dock. Some of this water is later extracted to supply Bristol with about half of its drinking water.

"The ships that we can get in have to be smaller and smaller," he said.

"We could get large three-masted tall ships in and work on them 15 years ago, but that's impossible now."

About 245 million litres of water are pumped from the River Severn at Gloucester, it then flows along the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal before being diverted into Bristol Water's treatment works.

Last year, about 50,000 cubic metres (1.8 million cubic ft) of silt entered the docks via this route from the Severn.

A shot of Gloucester Docks with pleasure boats and Victorian warehouses in the background
A third of The Canal & River Trust's national dredging budget is being invested into Gloucester Docks

The Canal and River Trust is halfway through a £4.5m recovery programme after an unprecedented level of silt entered from the river during the dry weather last summer.

According to the trust, a third of their national dredging budget is being invested into Gloucester Docks and 37,000 tonnes of silt have already been removed.

A spokesperson said the trust are in "regular dialogue with T. Nielsen" and "value their contribution to the docks, alongside the other businesses".

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