Commercial Diving Solutions have invaluable experience with seawater systems, in particular seawater intake and filtration including undersea directional boring.  We completed a complex seawater system for the new National Marine Science Centre (NMSC, located at Charlesworth Bay (see Fig 1 below), Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia.

Charlesworth Bay, Coffs Harbour, NSW, Australia

The National Marine Science Centre is a joint project between the University of New England and Southern Cross University.  It was established with a $12 million Federation Fund Grant from the Commonwealth Government and was officially opened by the Deputy Prime Minister in November 2001.

The NMSC is a state-of-the-art innovative marine science tertiary institution, offering undergraduate courses in Marine Science and Management, and Marine Science Research.  The new seawater system has provided the NMSC with a flow of natural seawater from Charlesworth Bay, for teaching and research purposes.

The seawater system required site location and installation of seawater intake ‘pit’ (a 30 tonne under-gravel filtration pit) and establishment of a clear run for pipe string to carry flow of natural seawater to an underground well for collection and pumping to the research station.

Works included:

• Establishment of suitable location for intake filtration box.

• Extensive soft and hard probing supported by spot dredging.

• Confirmation of pit location with surveyor.

• Close grid jet probing.

• Underwater shoring.

• Survey of level (depth) of shelf to allow for proper planning of directional drill line.

• Establishment of clear run for pipe string.

• Flotation, location and submersion of 30 tonne pit.

• Anchoring of pit and pipe string with 3m deep driven “Manta Ray” clay anchors.

• Appropriate waste removal from site.

The seawater intake contract was successfully completed in October 2001,
on time and on budget!

The National Marine Science Centre is expected to become an international centre of excellence for marine science, aquaculture research and ocean management.