Dredging and land reclamation begin in Hernesaari. The new residential area will be partially built on reclaimed sea areas. In preparation for this, the dredging on Hernesaari’s eastern coast starts in early June.
In the first stage, soft topsoil will be removed and transported to the basins on the Hernesaari coast. In a later stage, clay soil will be transported to spoil areas in the open sea. The construction of Jätkäsaari has also involved similar dredging and reclamation since 2009. The work is continuing at the extension of Melkinlaituri Pier.
The dredging operations will not impact boat traffic. However, boaters are asked to maintain a distance of about 150 metres from the machinery.
Dredging will not affect water quality. Even in normal conditions, the ship traffic to and from the West Harbour stirs up sediment from the seabed into the water. The water permit for Hernesaari requires that water quality be monitored. The quality of seawater will also be co-monitored by the West Harbour.
The work will not cause noise in the environment.
Transporting rock waste from Vuosaari will start in autumn
In August–September, a new work stage will begin on the Hernesaari coast when land reclamation is started using rock waste. The rock waste will be transported from the Hernesaari coast primarily by sea on barges, since the sea areas can be filled with rock waste from the process of deepening the sea route by Vuosaari Harbour.
The sea transport will significantly reduce truck traffic on the streets of Southern Helsinki. Using barges also reduces dust and traffic in the city when the materials are transported from Eastern Helsinki directly to the areas to be filled. Sea transport replaces approximately 55,000 truck loads and reduces fuel consumption by 1.5 million litres. The money saved totals 15 million euros, and 3,200 tonnes of carbon emissions can be avoided.
The dredging and reclamation will take place in 2020–2021. The land reclamation needed in the area equates to 1,200,000 cubic metres. In the 2020s, a maritime district of ca. 7,500 residents will be constructed in Hernesaari.
The City Council approved the detailed plan for the area on 22 April 2020.
Residents evening on 23 September regarding the construction in Hernesaari
The resident evening for discussing the earthworks in Hernesaari has been moved to September due to the restrictions on social gatherings in the spring. The event will be held in the City Hall’s Event Square on 23 September. The preliminary start time for the event is 17:00. Details about the programme will be announced closer to the event.