GREAT Yarmouth's outer harbour site is booming with activity as preparation work for a new 400 metre quay wall begins. Construction of the northern and southern breakwaters is progressing well, with the northern breakwater almost complete.

GREAT Yarmouth's outer harbour site is booming with activity as preparation work for a new 400 metre quay wall begins.

Construction of the northern and southern breakwaters is progressing well, with the northern breakwater almost complete.

And a dredger sitting in the middle of the harbour site has begun dredging material in order to create the quay wall.

Eddie Freeman, chief executive of Eastport UK, said: “Construction is going according to plan and the pace has quickened recently due to favourable weather conditions and the delivery of more rock.”

He explained that the cut and suction dredger was pumping sand onto the beach and the inner side of the northern breakwater to form part of the new quay wall and piling to build the wall would start in a few months time.

Mr Freeman added that the site will look more impressive once work on the southern breakwater reaches the surface as much of the current work was being done underwater.

And in May the construction site will take delivery of two giant cranes as part of the new £30m short sea container terminal.

The new port will provide the platform for terminal and cargo operations.

About 1.65 million cubic metres of sand will be dredged and used for reclamation of the new harbour.

The basin will be dredged to an average of 10 metres deep.

Yarmouth's outer harbour will be one of the biggest new port developments to go ahead in the UK in recent years and is expected to be completed in the early part of 2009.

The £50m project has been funded through a public-private partnership with part of the financing, about £18m, coming from the public sector.