Standing at an impressive 18 meters by 18 meters and weighing a staggering 275 tons, these new locks gates are a significant improvement over their predecessors, which had dutifully served for two decades. But it’s not just their size that’s remarkable; it’s their functionality and resilience.

Conventional lock gates are designed just to retain water within the dock and enable the passage of vessels in and out of the Port.  These new gates perform not just that function but can be fixed in the closed position and defend against flooding.  With a height that surpasses the previous lockgates by a notable three meters, they stand tall, ready to repel anticipated future high tides resulting from Climate Change and sea level rise.  The new gates form an essential part of the Avonmouth Severnside Enterprise Area (ASEA) Ecology Mitigation and Flood Defence Project, a project jointly promoted by South Gloucestershire Council, Bristol City Council and the Environment Agency.  The Lock Gate project was managed by our Engineering Department working for The Bristol Port Company as the Statutory Harbour Authority with a financial contribution from the Scheme Promoters.  Fabrication and installation, under the Engineers’ supervision, was by Ravestein BV from The Netherlands

When the call to action arises, these gates swing into motion, sealing off the port.  They are anchored firmly by “shoot-bolts” that are hydraulically driven into a recess on the bed of the lock and fixed at the top of each gate by hydraulic-rams that are locked in place once the gates are closed.  

Integrated seamlessly into the existing lock operating system, these gates herald a new era of efficiency and reliability and with the push of a button, they can spring into action.  Equipped with buoyancy chambers providing 230 tons of uplift, they significantly reduce the net weight in water, lessening the strain on their fittings.  What’s more, the hydraulic power packs that drive the movements utilise biodegradable oil, minimizing their ecological footprint.

In an age where resilience and sustainability are paramount, Bristol Port’s new lock gates stand as a shining example of innovation, safeguarding vital infrastructure and the wider area and community close to the Port against future flooding.