More than 3.5 million passengers pass through Portsmouth’s ferry terminal every year making it one of the UK’s busiest international gateways.
With the existing passenger terminal straining under the volume of traffic, a new purpose-built facility was needed to boost business and provide facilities that meet passengers’ expectations.
Halcrow delivered a complete package of construction consultancy services for the new terminal from conceptual master planning, procurement and construction management through to the operation of the completed facility.
A key part of the project was a full review of the port’s trade and traffic. The resulting growth projections were used to determine the new terminal’s optimum capacity and location.
The new airport-style facility incorporates a host of environmentally friendly and energy saving devices that have earned it a coveted Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) ‘excellent’ rating. The flexible design of the two storey building allows plenty of room to accommodate future increases in passenger numbers.
Among the terminal’s key features are:
- a large concourse area with commercial outlets and airport-style check-in zones
- 33m span monopitch roof trusses which create a column free space on the first floor and lower concourse
- natural ventilation systems which reduce the need for air conditioning
- a seawater-sourced thermal energy system which uses only 20 per cent of the energy of a traditional boiler and chiller system.
The intuitive design of the new terminal puts the needs of the passenger while securing the long-term commercial viability of this important facility.