1 week Ago By [email protected] (Cara Simmonds)
The source of a mysterious banging noise that can be heard across a town and beyond has been revealed. Residents were left baffled by the sound, which was thumping away daily in Sheerness . It turned out to be from the construction of a new multi-million-pound berth at the town’s docks, which play a crucial role in driving supply chains across the country – particularly for the automotive industry.
Both Volkswagen and CEVA use the Island as the primary location for their southern UK operations. It began at the start of the month when people described hearing a “loud banging” or “thumping noise” from around 8.30am and finishing at 6.
30pm. One homeowner said they could feel the vibrations in Minster, while another noticed them six miles away in Eastchurch. Questions were asked on Facebook groups, with a town resident posting: “Can anybody in Sheerness hear a regular banging noise? It’s been going for the last hour or so.
” Another added: “I’ve heard it a few occasions over the past week or so and I just have to know what it is.” While most were purely curious, a few people were unhappy with being disturbed. One commented: “I tried to be productive to counteract the noise but to no avail.
Ended up with a migraine and meds knocked me out early. “So now [I’ll] probably be awake till bedtime. I hope it isn’t happening today.
” It turns out the rhythmic banging is coming from Sheerness Docks, as resident Diana Scott posted a drone image of the building work taking place. Peel Ports has hired construction company Ravestein BV to make a new berth where vessels can dock. Workers are currently using floating cranes to drive steel piles into the seabed, which creates the banging sound.
They usually provide support for buildings, bridges and other structures, and this is a crucial step in creating a strong and stable foundation. There are 12 piles in total – each is 2.5m in diameter, 52m long and weighs approximately 110 tons.
The work also includes the installation of a 75m long by 34m wide roll-on, roll-off (RoRo) pontoon. In November, Peel Ports announced it would be investing £30 million into Sheerness Docks to meet growing demand. The upgrade will allow for larger vessels exceeding 230m in length overall.
They can carry commodities such as automotive, paper reels and timber, construction machinery and building materials, project cargo, agribulks (goods such as animal feed and grain) and steel. At the time, Richard Goffin, port director at Peel Ports Great Yarmouth and London Medway, said: “The Port of Sheerness plays a hugely important role in the handling and processing of a broad range of commodities, whether it is automobiles, paper, or construction materials, ensuring that they reach their destination without delay. “This £30m project not only shows our ambition to grow our offering to a range of industries, but it also represents the next stage of significant investment into the port’s infrastructure which will bolster our position as a leader in handling RoRo vessels.
” The new pontoon will also support quarter ramp vessels on both sides, plus a stern ramp on the adjacent berth. A spokesman for the company told KentOnline the build was on track and was set to be completed by June. He added: “We are aware that some members of the community living close to Sheerness Port have recently been experiencing unusual noise activity.
“The port is currently undergoing essential works and there may be temporary disruption as a result of this. “We are currently working with contractors to reduce the impact of potential disruption and to reduce the length of time required to complete the works. “We remain committed to completing the project as swiftly as possible and apologise for the disturbance.
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