Paraguay: T&C Orders Damen Cutter Suction Dredger

Paraguayan firm Ingeniería de Topografía y Caminos S.A. (T&C) has ordered a customised Cutter Suction Dredger (CSD) 500 from the Dutch shipbuilder Damen.

T&C will use the dredger to transform the southern riverbank of the capital Asunción, in the Costanera Sur project. 

"The modular dredger will sharply increase sand production, required to meet the ambitious projects deadlines," Damen said.

According to Damen, parts of the city have flooded annually for decades due to their proximity to the river. As a result, residential and industrial areas have gradually moved away from the waterside, paving the way for the creation of a 7.5 embankment to prevent flooding.  

Francisco J. Griño, Vice President of T&C explains, “We are very proud to be taking part in this project, which is contributing significantly to the sustainability and economic prosperity of Asunción. As well as keeping the city safe and dry, the barrier will enable better circulation of traffic, facilitating better trade in the capital and generally improving the quality of life.”

Deadlines

All sand relocation works, including dredging, have to be finished within two years. In total 9 million m3 of sand will have to be dredged. 

“We purchased the reliable Damen dredger to be able to meet our strict deadlines,” Griño explains. "The total project is scheduled to take five years and is dependent on the timely production of sand. The CSD500 will boost our dredging capacity. We are proud to be involved in such an important development in our country.”

The dredger will be shipped fully dismantled to Paraguay soon. Initially, it will sail from Antwerp to Montevideo, Uruguay, before being transferred to river barge to be transported up the Paraguay River.

Upon arrival, Damen’s team will assemble the dredger and provide training to the crew in its use.