Ainscough Lifts Barge to Avoid Flood Risk in Lincolnshire

The barge was towed back to the River Ancholme to be lifted out.

Ainscough Crane Hire’s Immingham depot recently worked with its client Jackson Civil Engineering to rescue a narrow boat that had become wedged in sluice gates between the River Ancholme and Humber Estuary after the force of the water had broken the barge from its moorings.

The incident took place in South Ferriby in North Lincolnshire, where the Envionment Agency tasked Jackson Civils with removing the boat. Ainscough was quickly enlisted to lift the boat from the water as well as the sluice gates so any damage could be repaired.

After being briefed on the job on a Tuesday, Ainscough had until Friday to remove the boat – there was a high tide this day, and if the boat was still in place, it would have resulted in severe flooding.

The river had risen, resulting in the boat getting trapped and filled with water, meaning it subsequently sank and got trapped under the gate.

Ainscough had a 650t crane mobilised at 2pm that day, on site in late evening ready for its use on Wednesday.

Ainscough’s team removed the 5t gates, before divers pumped out excess water from the boat and refloated it. Although the boat itself weighed 26t, a buildup of materials such as silt meant its weight upon being lifted out was 36t. It was then towed back to the River Ancholme to be lifted out.

On Thursday, the lock gates were lifted back into place for the following day’s high tide – ensuring no flooding occurred.

Mark Barton, contract lift manager at Ainscough’s Immingham depot, said: “At Ainscough it’s a source of pride that when the call comes to help resolve a situation that needs urgent attention, it’s not a question of ‘if’ we can do a job but ‘how’. This was a great example – had the boat not been removed within the specified timeframe the implications to the local environment would have been significant. We therefore focussed on mobilising a 650t crane and working with our colleagues at Jacksons and the Environment Agency to ensure the operation was completed as safely and as swiftly as possible.”

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