Damen Delivers Dredge Packages to Mexico
Earlier this year Damen Shipyards received the order for four complete dredge packages to be installed in trailing suction hopper dredgers (TSHDs) currently under construction in Mexico for SEMAR. The identical TSHDs will be fitted out with dredge packages including the trailing pipe, a dredge pump, and various hopper loading and discharging equipment.
At present, the four hopper dredgers are under construction at three different Mexican yards. The vessels have been optimized to receive a Damen dredge package, including a 700 mm trailing pipe, designed to work at a max depth of -25 m, plus a matching dredge pump. The TSHDs are designed to be able to pump dredged material over the bow. For this, the dredge package includes a bow coupling unit. Further dredging gear included in the package delivery are overflows, jet water pumps and nozzles, and the required dredge monitoring instrumentation.
At present the dredge packages are under construction at the Damen Dredging Equipment yard. The packages will be shipped to Mexico at the end of the year, to be installed on the locally built dredgers.
Horacio Delgado Bravo, the Damen Shipyard Sales Manager, said, “The dredge packages are delivered to the long-time Damen customer SEMAR. They are the Mexican Navy, and in this role they are responsible for all maintenance dredging activities of all Mexican larger ports. As Mexico has quite a substantial coastline, the necessity to operate powerful dredgers is obvious.”
The current order follows the delivery of an array of stationary cutter suction dredgers in the previous years.