Among the assets affected was the Government-owned Morgan Slipway—an essential facility responsible for maintaining South Australia’s fleet of 12 River Murray ferries, plus one spare vessel. Operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, these ferries provide vital links for local communities, freight operators and travellers crossing the Murray.
Flood damage to the slipway’s largely submerged rail system meant the infrastructure guiding and supporting the ferry trolleys required complete replacement. Given the importance of returning the facility to service quickly and safely, careful planning and precision fabrication were essential.
Maritime Constructions engaged Bowhill Engineering early in the project to help develop the construction methodology. Working collaboratively from the outset allowed the project team to combine practical construction experience, fabrication expertise and site knowledge to develop an efficient, buildable solution that minimised risk and maximised installation efficiency.
Our Solution
Bowhill Engineering delivered a fabrication solution that prioritised accuracy, constructability and programme certainty through:
- Collaborative development of the construction methodology with the client and contractor.
- A carefully planned fabrication and installation sequence to minimise time on site.
- Pre-approved design tolerances that accommodated site variables while maintaining critical alignment requirements.
- A staged workflow that enabled detailed site survey and verification before final fabrication.
- Precision fabrication to ensure efficient installation in a challenging marine environment.
Project Outcomes
- Delivered on programme.
- Zero safety incidents.
- High-quality fabrication and installation.
- Reduced site installation time through detailed planning and sequencing.
- Successful restoration of critical infrastructure supporting South Australia’s River Murray ferry network
