Utility and Drainage Surveys at Port of Ipswich
Published on by Natalie Taylor-Clarke
Survey Solutions delivered utility and drainage surveys at the Port of Ipswich—supporting ABP’s £5m HV upgrade with accurate, risk-reducing site data.
Driving Infrastructure Certainty at the Port of Ipswich
Associated British Ports (ABP) manages over two million tonnes of cargo through the Port of Ipswich every year. As the UK’s leading port operator, ABP is investing £5 million to upgrade its high-voltage network across the site—an essential step to improve long-term resilience and operational reliability.
To support this significant upgrade, ABP commissioned Survey Solutions to deliver a comprehensive package of surveys, including detailed topographic, underground services, and CCTV drainage inspections. The Port of Ipswich utility surveys provided updated base mapping to underpin construction tendering and give contractors access to reliable data—de-risking early-stage design and enabling more accurate pricing.
Coordinated Delivery in a Live Port Environment
The programme began with a topographic survey to determine ground levels and locate all manhole covers—critical for the next phases. Damaged or inaccessible covers were identified and replaced early on, with our survey team working closely with ABP to ensure smooth and uninterrupted progress.
Advanced survey tools were deployed throughout the project, including total stations, GPS, ground-penetrating radar (GPR), electromagnetic detection, and CCTV crawler systems. A phased delivery model allowed for incremental drawing updates over a six-month period, giving ABP the ability to update internal infrastructure records in real time.
Working within a live port environment demanded careful planning, tight coordination, and close communication with ABP’s operations team. The project was delivered safely, on schedule, and without disrupting daily operations—demonstrating the mutual trust and collaboration built over the course of the project.
The utility surveys we carried out at the Port of Ipswich have laid the groundwork for vital infrastructure improvements. ABP can now move forward with confidence—strengthening safety, resilience, and future operations.
“The coordination and scheduling of the survey work were a major concern, given the heavy traffic at the port. With hundreds of lorries coming in daily, I was anticipating potential issues, but I didn’t receive a single phone call. I was impressed with how Survey Solutions managed their own traffic control and advanced signage and worked closely with the local port team. It couldn’t have gone any better. Having worked with Survey Solutions previously at our Port of Lowestoft, we knew their work was of exceptional quality and their pricing is always competitive. On this project, their speed, attention to detail, and professionalism were outstanding. We’ve been really pleased with their service and the results. Thanks to their work, ABP can continue to prioritise health and safety, ensuring everyone is safe when working on construction projects. We’re so satisfied with the results that we are now planning a similar survey at Ipswich Beacon Marina. I couldn’t recommend Survey Solutions highly enough.”
Divisional Project Manager, Associated British Ports
