Port of Tallinn bridge to be fitted with durable FiberCore composite bridge decks
FiberCore Europe has been commissioned to design and manufacture the durable composite bridge decks for the 'swing' bridge to be built in the Old City Port in Tallinn, Estonia, which will be installed around August 2021. KMG Inseneriehituse AS will supervise construction of the Tallinn bridge over the Admiralty Basin Canal for the Port of Tallinn. The bridge will connect Terminals A and D and can open to allow boating traffic from the Old City Marina to pass through.
The bridge is based on the design "New Balance 100," which won a competition organized by the Port of Tallinn in 2017. The winning design was produced by Echo Urban Design (NL) and SIA Witteveen & Bos Latvia. The 'New Balance 100' is a movable pedestrian bridge, but not just any old one. The structure combines innovative technical solutions with a sleek design. The movable counterweight is integrated into the bridge, but is also visible to the public. When opening and closing, the bridge makes a smooth, undulating movement across the banks. These weights move downward as the bridge slowly opens, reducing the force moment. This technique allows the bridge to balance itself.
The bridge will be a modern hybrid construction in steel with composite bridge decks. The choice of composite was quickly made; the material's light weight and durable properties make it ideal for the sleek design and mechanical aspects of this project. The decks require virtually no maintenance and protect the steel structure underneath from weathering. The decks are produced at FiberCore Europe's plant in Rotterdam using the company's unique InfraCore® technology, making the bridge decks extremely robust and safe. The decks are transported prefabricated to Tallinn in one transport movement, where they can be installed quickly and easily.
The bridge is part of the redevelopment plan "Old City Harbour - Master Plan 2030+," which aims to make the entrances to Estonia and Tallinn more user-friendly and the entire port area more attractive. The construction of the bridge is co-financed by the European Union under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) project TWIN-PORT 2, a cooperation project between the Port of Tallinn, the Port of Helsinki and the ferry company Tallink. The design and construction process will begin immediately and be completed in August 2021. The total cost is EUR 4.22 million.
FiberCore Europe is proud to be part of this modern, sustainable and innovative project.