The Trailing Suction Hoper (TSHD) in action
One of the dredging machines(m.v Volvox Delta) is already at the port from Van Oord Dredging and Marine Contractors of Netherlands,The dredging of the port channel and widening of the turning basin has begun.
Come the end of this project in the next 18 Months the port of Mombasa will comfortably handle bigger vessels.
The first dredger “Trailing Suction Hoper” (TSHD) is on site removing soft silt from the sea bottom .According to the Contractors the dredger operates like a floating vacuum cleaner, sucks deep water and pumps up materials from the sea bed.The dredging process will be round the clock and will have a cycle of 21 days with one day break for bunkering and supply of food and water and the first break was on 30.06.2011 thursday.
The second dredger, “Cutter Suction” is expected in September and will dredge the entrance to the habour. “This dredger is equipped with a cutting device to increase the dislodging force and will remove combination of sand and hard coral from the sea.
The waste material from this exercise will be used in the construction of the second container terminal.
The port is to be dredged to a depth of 15 meters and a width of 300 meters while the anchorage basin is to be 10 to 11m deep, 375m wide and a length of 1500m.the turning basin is to have a depth of 15m and a width of 500m upon completion.
Major investments had been made in the port of Maputo, Zucula said, with the rehabilitation and expansion of port terminals, and the dredging of the approach channel. Similar work was now under way at Beira, notably to expand the coal terminal so that it can cope with the coal exports from Tete province expected later this year.(WAS POSTED ON DREDGING TODAY website on 3rd march2011 )
ReplyDeleteThank you for the info. It sounds pretty user friendly. I guess I’ll pick one up for fun. thank u.
ReplyDeleteSwalf Dredging India