Maintenance work on Rainier III semi-floating sea wall ball joint

The cofferdam 

The Public Works Office and specialist companies are undertaking maintenance work between the Rainier III semi-floating sea wall and the Terre‑Plein des Pêcheurs jetty. The two are linked by a ball joint which, a little over ten years after it was installed, is in need of significant maintenance that will involve changing all of the seals. 

This operation requires the space between the sea wall and the jetty to be pumped dry by installing a watertight caisson or cofferdam specially built for this purpose. Constructed in a “U” shape, the cofferdam comprises a steel frame with rubber seals. Once installed, the water inside the cofferdam is drained, enabling the companies to carry out the maintenance work in a dry and safe environment. 

Weather permitting, the cofferdam, which weighs 40 tonnes, will be installed using a crane on a floating barge on Saturday 23 July. For safety reasons, there will be no public access to the semi-floating sea wall. 

The maintenance work is scheduled to be completed by the end of September 2016. 

In agreement with the Monaco Port Authority and the Department of Maritime Affairs, the work has been scheduled during the summer period when it is less likely to be interrupted by bad weather, and restrictions have been introduced on the number of cruise ships able to berth at the sea wall.