Maritime Constructions Receives Damen Dredger, Multi Cat
Damen Shipyards Group has delivered a Cutter Suction Dredger (CSD) 500 and a Multi Cat 1506 to Maritime Constructions of Port Adelaide, Australia. The two vessels have been put to use on a port extension project in Onslow, Western Australia.
Maritime Constructions has been awarded the contract to carry out capital dredging works for the Onslow Marine Support Base Channel Dredging project, which will see the modification and expansion of the Beadon Creek Harbor Approach Channel, Swing Basin and Berth Pocket. This involves the dredging and reclamation of up to 950,000m3 of sediment.
Following the award of contract, Maritime Constructions required rapid delivery of the vessels. This made Damen a natural choice for them.
Like Damen, Maritime Constructions is a family-owned and oriented company. The shared values of the two companies also made for a good partnership, as Damen Sales Manager Vincent Maes explains.
Damen shipped the vessels from Damen Shipyards Changde, China through Shanghai to Dampier. From there, Maritime Constructions arranged the road transport to Onslow. The CSD, being a modular design, was shipped in sections. The spud carrier, added to increase the dredging production on this project, was transferred from Damen stock in the Netherlands. Damen Dredging in the Netherlands also supplied extra dredge pumps, gearboxes, couplings and other parts. From these, Maritime Constructions has constructed three extra booster stations needed to pump the material over the maximum distance.
Upon arrival, a Damen Field Service Engineer supported the client with the assembly of the dredger. The CSD, named Pilbara Sawfish after a local endangered species, then started dredging. It has since dredged 700,000m3 of an abrasive mix of coarse sand, shell, cobbles and gravel and the Onslow project is shaping up nicely.