Portland Port's £26m deep-water berth upgrade set to start

The work will see the existing deep water berth, built in 1978, replaced

A £26m upgrade to a port to allow larger ships to berth is set to start.

Portland Port is replacing its deep-water berth with a new one that will be able to handle two 350m (1,148ft) long cruise ships at the same time.

In its planning application to Dorset Council, the port previously warned piling work could see significant levels of noise.

The work, due to start in October, will see concrete structures demolished and 180 steel piles hammered in.

The upgrade will allow the port to have two 350m (1,148ft) cruise ships alongside at the same time

Ian McQuade, the port's commercial general manager, said: "The new facilities will enable Portland Port to keep pace with the increasing demands from our existing cruise and cargo customers."

The port said the new berth is expected to be up and running by May.