Temporary Pontoon River Crossing for Civil Engineering Works

Temporary modular pontoon river crossing for civil engineering access in Scotland

Case Study

Temporary Pontoon River Crossing for Civil Engineering Works

Marine Plant Hire Scotland designed, supplied and installed a 30m modular pontoon crossing to provide controlled pedestrian access across a live river during infrastructure works.

30m x 2m Temporary crossing
100m² Modular equipment
7 Anchors Concrete restraint system
2 Days Installation programme

The Brief

The client needed a temporary route across a shallow, flowing river so personnel could reach an otherwise restricted work area. The crossing was required for pedestrian access and light hand-carried equipment while civil engineering works were completed.

MPHS Scope

  • Site visit and access planning
  • Temporary works design coordination
  • Yard pre-build and transport
  • Installation and positioning
  • Edge protection and restraint system
  • Inspection, handover and demobilisation

The client name, project name and exact location have been withheld for confidentiality.

Aerial view of a 30 metre modular pontoon crossing over a shallow river

Aerial view of the completed 30m crossing, showing the modular support feet and protected access route.

Project Delivery

1. Planning & Design Following a site visit, the crossing layout, support arrangement and restraint system were developed around the river conditions and required access route.
2. Pre-Build & Mobilisation Pontoon sections were pre-built in our yard, labelled and transported with the edge protection, rigging and installation equipment.
3. Installation The system was assembled and positioned over two days, with the support feet set at regular intervals to create a raised crossing above the riverbed.
4. Demobilisation Once the works were complete, the pontoon, edge protection, anchors and rigging were dismantled, recovered and removed from site in a controlled operation.

What Was Supplied

30m x 2m modular pontoon crossing
Support feet at regular intervals
Full-length edge protection
Seven 1.5-tonne concrete anchor blocks
Tirfors, lever hoists and rated rigging
Transport, installation and removal

Raised River Crossing

Modular support feet reduced the amount of pontoon in the water, allowed flow beneath and around the structure, and created a practical route across the uneven riverbed.

Engineered Restraint

Concrete anchor blocks, mechanical tensioning equipment and rated rigging secured the crossing, supported by a project-specific temporary works package.

Protected pedestrian walkway on a modular river pontoon

Full-length edge protection created a controlled pedestrian route.

Client Feedback

The client confirmed they were very happy with the pontoon access installation and thanked our team for its support throughout the project.

Infrastructure contractor, Scotland

Result

The crossing gave the site team the controlled access needed to complete the works on the opposite bank. After the hire period, the full system was successfully demobilised and removed with no reported incidents, complaints, non-conformities or equipment damage.

Need Temporary Pontoon Access for River Works?

We supply modular pontoons for temporary river crossings, bridge works, site access, floating work platforms and civil engineering projects across Scotland.

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