21/04/2026
**Repair Work to JST Services Floating Pier**
This week’s project required travel to a site located a considerable distance from our usual work , where we undertook repair and strengthening works on a floating pier for JST Services.
The scope of work involved the fabrication and installation of a U-channel to reinforce the side beams of the structure. The project was completed over a five-day period, delivered efficiently and to specification.
Following successful completion of the works, the team demobilised and returned home, having worked in a location that offered some exceptional views throughout the duration of the project.
Some information on the pier
The JST Services floating pier is actually quite a specialised bit of kit—not just a normal marina-style pontoon.
In simple terms, it’s a mobile, self-contained floating loading platform designed mainly for use in remote coastal areas, especially in places like the west coast of Scotland.
Here’s what makes it different and why it’s used:
What it is
A JST floating pier is a patented, self-assembling marine system that creates a temporary dock between the shoreline and deep water. It provides a stable working platform that rises and falls with the tide, so vessels can stay at a constant working height.
What it’s used for
Its main job is to load and unload materials directly onto ships—most commonly timber, but also aggregates and other bulk materials.
* Can handle vessels up to around 3,000 tonnes
* Allows loading straight from land to ship
* Often used where no permanent port infrastructure exists
Why it’s important
These piers are designed to solve a big problem: accessing remote locations where roads are poor or unsuitable.
Instead of hauling materials long distances by lorry, the pier allows transport by sea, which:
* Reduces road traffic and damage
* Cuts emissions (significant CO₂ savings reported)
* Makes previously uneconomical sites viable (like remote forests)
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How it’s built/works
A typical setup includes:
* A floating barge platform
* A linkspan (bridge) connecting it to shore
* Equipment like cranes or handlers on the platform
* Anchoring or legs to stabilise it on the seabed
The whole system can be transported, installed, and even relocated between sites depending on the project.
