850kWp Solar PV, ABP Southampton PortDock Gate 20
850kWp of photovoltaics at Associated British Ports' Southampton Port, Dock Gate 20, delivered with Kingspan and Medas Construction. Coastal industrial sites bring their own problems — wind loading, salt exposure and a port that never stops working.
Project summary
850kWp of photovoltaics at Associated British Ports' Southampton Port, Dock Gate 20, delivered with Kingspan and Medas Construction. Coastal industrial sites bring their own problems — wind loading, salt exposure and a port that never stops working.
- Client Associated British Ports / Kingspan / Medas
- Scale 850kWp
- Completed 2014
- Location Dock Gate 20, Port of Southampton
- Service Port solar
- Installer MARA Electrical — NICEIC approved, MCS certified, based in Queensferry, Deeside
Solar on a Working Port
Port estates combine vast roof areas with round-the-clock operations — and an environment that punishes anything not specified for it.
- Client
- Associated British Ports (ABP)
- Main contractor
- Kingspan / Medas Construction
- Location
- Dock Gate 20, Port of Southampton, Hampshire
- System size
- 850kWp
- Completed
- 2014
- Delivered by
- MARA Electrical — MCS certified, NICEIC approved
Salt Air, Wind Loading and No Downtime
The Port of Southampton is one of Britain's busiest, handling containers, cruise traffic and one of the largest vehicle-handling operations in Europe. Dock Gate 20 sits within that live estate, and 850kWp of solar had to be installed without interfering with it.
A coastal location changes the specification. Wind loading on an exposed dockside roof is significantly higher than on an inland site, so the mounting system and its fixings have to be designed for uplift forces that would be over-engineering anywhere else. Salt-laden air is corrosive, which drives material choices for frames, fixings and enclosures.
Add to that the operational reality of working within a secure, permanently active port — access controls, vehicle movements, and a client who cannot pause cargo handling for a construction programme.
Coastal Installation at Scale
850kWp specified and installed for a marine environment on a permanently operational site.
850kWp Photovoltaic Array
Installation of 850kWp across the Dock Gate 20 roof, working with Kingspan's roofing and integrated solar systems.
Marine-Grade Specification
Mounting, fixings and enclosures selected for salt exposure and elevated coastal wind loading.
Structural Assessment
Roof capacity and uplift resistance assessed for an exposed dockside location.
Electrical Connection
Full DC and AC installation, protection and connection into the port's electrical infrastructure, certified to BS 7671.
Dock Gate 20
What ABP Got
850kWp On Site
Substantial on-site generation for an operation that consumes power continuously, day and night.
Built for the Coast
Specified for salt and wind exposure so the array performs for its full design life in a punishing environment.
Greener Port Operations
Renewable generation supporting ABP's environmental commitments across its port estate.
Delivered Without Disruption
Installed within a secure, live port without interrupting cargo handling.
North Wales Base, National Reach
Southampton is about 250 miles from our Queensferry base on Deeside — roughly as far south as our commercial work has taken us, alongside projects in Kettering, Bristol and across the South East for Sainsbury's.
Ports and coastal industrial sites are a recurring theme in our portfolio: alongside ABP Southampton we have delivered solar for DP World and at Central Docks in Liverpool. Coastal specification is a genuine specialism, and one that matters just as much on the Dee estuary and the North Wales coast as it does on the Solent.
Whatever your building type, we survey it, design for it and certify it. Talk to us about commercial solar panel installation, or browse the full solar portfolio.
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Questions About This Project
Who carried out the ABP Southampton Port Solar PV project?
MARA Electrical carried out the ABP Southampton Port Solar PV project for Associated British Ports / Kingspan / Medas. MARA Electrical are NICEIC approved electrical contractors and MCS certified solar installers, based in Queensferry on Deeside, serving Chester, Flintshire, Wrexham and North Wales.
How large is the ABP Southampton Port Solar PV installation?
The ABP Southampton Port Solar PV installation is 850kWp. It was completed in 2014 at Dock Gate 20, Port of Southampton.
When was the ABP Southampton Port Solar PV project completed?
The ABP Southampton Port Solar PV project was completed in 2014.
Does MARA Electrical work outside North Wales?
Yes. MARA Electrical are based in Queensferry, Deeside and serve Chester, Flintshire, Wrexham and North Wales as their core area, but commercial projects have been delivered across the UK including Manchester, Liverpool, Kettering, Southampton, Norfolk and Scotland.
Solar for Coastal & Industrial Sites
Exposed, corrosive or operationally demanding environments need specifying properly. Free feasibility survey for commercial solar across North Wales, Chester and nationwide.
or email solar@mara.uk.com · see all solar projects