NIOT may launch steel caisson into the sea today

  • | Wednesday | 22nd August, 2018

Work under way to lower the steel caisson into the sea by the National Institute of Ocean Technology. The steel caisson is 50 metres wide and 60 metres long with an elevation of 2.5 metres. “NIOT has positioned three winches on the shore to launch and position the caisson on the offshore artificial reef. Two fishing vessels have also been stationed in the sea near the working platform to manoeuvre and position the caisson into the sea. | Photo Credit: T. SingaravelouWith the work to build offshore artificial reef for the beach nourishment project having been completed, the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) has started the preparatory works to launch the steel caisson (submerged structure to reduce wave activity) into the sea.

Work under way to lower the steel caisson into the sea by the National Institute of Ocean Technology. | Photo Credit: T. Singaravelou more-in With the work to build offshore artificial reef for the beach nourishment project having been completed, the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) has started the preparatory works to launch the steel caisson (submerged structure to reduce wave activity) into the sea. “NIOT has positioned three winches on the shore to launch and position the caisson on the offshore artificial reef. The steel caisson is 50 metres wide and 60 metres long with an elevation of 2.5 metres. The caisson will be filled with water or sand. The steel plates each have a thickness of 25 mm. The reef base has already been completed and the structure weighing nearly 900 tonnes will be lowered into the sea tentatively on Wednesday if the sea conditions are favourable,” M.V. Ramana Murthy, project director of NIOT said. Two fishing vessels have also been stationed in the sea near the working platform to manoeuvre and position the caisson into the sea. The submerged structure will reduce wave activity and allow sand to freely move towards the north and prevent erosion along the coastline. Once the steel caisson is lowered into the sea, about 70% of the sand will be bypassed to the north in the first year followed by 100% from the next year. According to the project director, two submerged reefs will be built at a distance of 125 m from the sea near the Chief Secretariat and the south of the new pier. The reef near the Chief Secretariat costing ?25 crore will be funded by NIOT. The second one will be funded by the Puducherry government. As per a NIOT report, 0.3 million cubic metres of sand will be required for the beach nourishment and the sand dredged from the sea mouth will be put on the seawall along the promenade beach. Over the last several years, the beach has been hit by erosion and nourishment will result in restoration of sand level.

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