Project record

Southampton Channel Deepening capital dredge

Participation
Awarded
Participation checked

ABP selected Boskalis Westminster on 11 August 2026; the UK6 award remains pending and signature is unconfirmed. MMO case MLA/2026/00178 shows Submitted / (In progress) / [On Hold], with no current consultation, as reviewed on 15 October

Participation source

Associated British Ports selected Boskalis Westminster for Southampton Channel Deepening on 11 August 2026. The 12 August award notice retains a pending award; the complete procurement history reviewed on 15 October contains no signed-contract record. MMO's application remains Submitted / (In progress) / [On Hold]. It proposes about 5.5 million m3 of capital dredging, including side slopes and a 0.5 m over-dredge allowance, to deepen SCT 5 to 17.1 m below Chart Datum and the main navigation channels, including the Nab Channel, to 14.0-15.2 m depending on location.

Aerial view across Southampton Container Terminal and its operating quay frontage

Associated British Ports

Location

United Kingdom / Europe

Segment

Dredging

Phase

Award / Confirmed

Last checked

15 October 2026

Coverage

Related sectors

Dredging is the primary work classification. Related sectors connect this record to adjacent marine delivery and market coverage.

Subject index

Related subjects

These subject pages bring together related projects, technical articles, reports, and evidence methods.

Project anatomy

Contract scope and delivery roles

Client / authority
Associated British Ports, Southampton
Procurement references
INF-SOT-25/1549; ocds-h6vhtk-05fb6b; 085346-2025; 002310-2026; 076591-2026
Delivery parties
Boskalis Westminster Limited - selected supplier in the pending UK6 award; contract signature unconfirmed
Contract route
ABP used a two-stage negotiated competitive flexible procedure under INF-SOT-25/1549. Conditions of Participation were due at noon GMT on 6 February 2026; the UK6 notice records the ITT release on 8 April. ABP selected Boskalis Westminster on 11 August and published UK6 notice 076591-2026 on 12 August. The award remains pending, with standstill ending 21 August and signature scheduled for 30 August. The complete history reviewed on 15 October contains no later contract-details or signed-contract record. The UK4's 30 April award estimate and indicative 60% commercial, 40% technical weighting remain earlier procurement terms.
Execution window
The UK6 award schedules a contract period from 1 September 2026 to 31 July 2027, superseding the UK4's estimated 31 October start. Signature and actual commencement remain unconfirmed. The marine application separately proposes physical works from 1 December 2026 to 31 July 2027, subject to approvals. Work upstream of the Hythe Pier to Weston Shelf Beacon line is proposed for 1 December to 14 March, avoiding the stated salmonid periods of 15 March-15 May and 1 June-30 November. Up to eight months of dredging and disposal depend on weather and commercial vessel movements.
Works package
Deepen the SCT 5 berth pocket to 17.1 m below Chart Datum and deepen the Southampton main navigation channels, including the Nab Channel, to 14.0-15.2 m depending on location. The application estimates about 5.5 million m3 including side slopes and a 0.5 m over-dredge allowance, with maximum local depth removal of up to 1.3 m. The procurement includes dredging for disposal at sea and enabling measures for marine unexploded-ordnance risk.
Marine interfaces
The work crosses an operating container berth, live navigation channels and the offshore approach through the Nab Channel. ABP requires dredging beside an operational quay wall and in areas with buried pipelines while preserving port traffic and quayside operations. The delivery plan must also align UXO mitigation, sediment handling and sea disposal, weather exposure, salmonid timing controls and post-dredge hydrographic acceptance.
Commercial evidence boundary
The approximately 5.5 million m3 volume is a licensing estimate; final measured quantities and commercial risk allocation require the executed contract. The UK6 names Boskalis Westminster and reports zero-coded GBP value fields without establishing a usable price. Material characteristics, plant mix, live-port sequencing, quay and pipeline proximity, UXO controls, sailing and disposal cycles, environmental conditions and acceptance tolerances govern delivery exposure.

Project timeline

Material developments

Dated events that changed scope, counterparties, delivery, commissioning or operating status.

Open this project in the Change Log

ABP published the Boskalis selection

UK6 notice 076591-2026 records selection on 11 August, a pending award, signature scheduled for 30 August and a planned 1 September 2026 to 31 July 2027 contract period. The zero-coded value fields leave a usable price unconfirmed; signature, marine consent and physical commencement require separate evidence.

Source

MMO register kept the application open for consultation

The live register showed case MLA/2026/00178 as submitted, with consultation closing on 30 July. That is a consent process, not a licence decision or permission to mobilise.

Source

ABP submitted the capital-dredge application

The application defined the SCT 5 and channel depths, approximately 5.5 million m3 volume, maximum 1.3 m local cut and proposed December 2026 to July 2027 work programme. These are proposed works until licensed and contracted.

Source

ABP launched the two-stage contractor competition

The UK4 notice opened the Conditions of Participation stage for capital dredging at Southampton and in the Nab Deep Water Channel. It did not disclose a usable contract estimate or select a contractor.

Source

ABP announced the planned procurement

The UK3 notice first set out the principal-contractor route, expected contract period and live-port, pipeline and UXO constraints before the tender opened.

Source

Evidence gap

What remains unverified

Outstanding evidence

  • MMO on-hold application status, published responses and licence decision for MLA/2026/00178
  • Signed Boskalis contract, usable contract value, executed scope and notice to proceed
  • Reconciliation of procurement dates with the proposed physical-work programme
  • Pre-dredge hydrography, geotechnical basis, UXO mitigation and buried-pipeline controls
  • Dredged-material classification, licensed disposal route and vessel-cycle assumptions
  • Accepted SCT 5 berth, main-channel and Nab Channel depths after completion

Related records 3

Reporting status

Project phase
Award
Evidence confidence
Confirmed
Last checked
15 October 2026
Cited sources
9

Sources and related records

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Source collections

Project sources 9