Melbourne Dredging Operations About To Begin

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The maintenance dredging operations are scheduled to begin on or about 15 January 2016 for all major berths and swing basins within port of Melbourne waters, according to the Victorian Regional Channels Authority (VRCA).

Short Road Wharf has been built as the base for all plant and all dredged material will be transferred to the northern Dredged Material Ground located in Port Phillip throughout the period of operation.

Works are scheduled to conclude on or about 30 May 2016, the VRCA reports.

The dredging works will be conducted on a 24 hours/7 days per week basis outside commercial shipping movements and be undertaken by the following equipment:

• Backhoe dredge Storken;

• Non propelled hopper barges BKA Discovery and Endeavour;

• Tug Kythira;

• Crew vessel;

• Sweep tug.

Barnstable Outer Channel Dredge Project Kicks Off

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The Barnstable Outer Channel Dredge Project is about to start, according to a statement from the Town of Barnstable Department of Public Works.

The state boat ramp at Blish Point will be used for dewatering operations with limited access available to the state boat ramp.

Actual dredge mobilization in the outer harbor channel is scheduled to start today, subject to weather conditions, utilizing the county dredge.

Contractors will utilize the state boat ramp parking area until February 5, 2016. There will be limited access to Millway Beach throughout this period when heavy equipment is in operation in the area. The town boat ramp at Millway will remain fully available for use by residents.

The Barnstable Inner Harbor bulkhead will also undergo scraping and recoating work for the next several months. With no floats in the town marina, there should be no disruption to the public in the off-season.

Preparations For Dana Point Harbor Dredging Move Ahead

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According to a recent update posted by the County of Orange, preparations for the Dana Point Harbor dredging program are currently underway.

The county has signed a contract for the 2015/2016 Maintenance Dredging Project and mobilization and staging has already begun in the Pier parking lot.

In accordance with the county’s press release, the project contractor has placed fencing around the construction staging area and will be using that space, as well as a portion of Baby Beach, to connect sections of the discharge pipe that will be used during the dredging.

Additive sections of pipe will be stored along the harbor seawall.

The Dana Point Harbor dredging project will allow for the continued operation of the harbor by the clearing of sediment build-up in navigation channels to improve boating safety and provide much needed beach replenishment.

Hopper Dredge Hondarra Works In Bayonne Harbor

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Damen Dredging Equipment delivered a 1,200-cubic-meter trailing suction hopper dredge Honduras. And it was designed by Bilbao-based Astilleros de Murueta for CCI Bayonne Pays Basque in France.

The hopper dredge includes a trailing pipe system, a 3.2-cubic-meter clamshell bucket crane, and the superstructure is placed aft.

It is the fourth hopper dredge built between Damen and the shipyard. Damen delivered all the dredging equipment, including the 500 mm trailing pipe, designed for a maximum dredging depth of -20 meters, gantries, winches and a position indication system, loading gear, such as the dredge pump, degassing system, dredge valves and overflow. The dredge is fitted out with Damen’s bottom doors and bow coupling connection.

The Hondarra is the first dredge for the Chambre de Commerce d’Industrie de Bayonne Pays Basque in France, which operates Bayonne harbor. Honduras will perform maintenance duties to keep the harbor at the right depth. Moreover, sand will be won and either dumped or rainbowed to the shore to keep the beaches in perfect condition.

The owner received the dredge in September after extensive trails.

East Gippsland Shire Dredging Project Announced

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East Gippsland Shire Council will start trial dredging at Mallacoota Ocean Access Boat Ramp in early 2016.

The dredging is part of the shire’s operations as well as maintenance environmental management plan for the boat ramp.

The director of Operations, Chris Waites, said that the cutter suction dredge will be a key component of maintaining access to the boat ramp.

“The dredging works will be in line with the environmental management plan endorsed by the Department of Land, Water and Planning as part of the Coastal Management Act consent for the facility,” Mr Waites said.

“It was hoped that the trial dredging would take place prior to Christmas, but this has been postponed due to unfavorable weather. When we commence the trial in 2016, we predicate there will be interruptions to boating activity during the dredging and a Notice to Mariners will be developed in consultation with Gippsland Ports.”

The dredge spoil will be clean ocean sand only and will be disposed of along the beach to the west of the ramp for a distance of up to 300 meters. Access to this area of beach will be limited during dredging, especially the area between the high and low tide marks.

Periods of dredging are not expected to extend more than three days at a time. Observations of sand movement over the past 12 months indicate there will be a maximum of three to four dredging events each year.

Boskalis Strengthens Market Position In Germany

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Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. has signed heads of agreement with STRABAG SE for the acquisition of the dredging activities and assets of STRABAG Wasserbau GmbH, formerly known as Möbius Wasserbau.

STRABAG Wasserbau, based in Hamburg, has an annual turnover of approximately EUR 50 million with a broad array of equipment and the agreed transaction price is EUR 70 million.

“We have decided to sell our hydraulic engineering assets to Boskalis, which is capable of operating the business strategically. Within our group, these activities would be consigned to a niche area. We are especially pleased that Boskalis is also willing to further employ the 238 employees of STRABAG

Wasserbau GmbH,” said Thomas Birtel, CEO of STRABAG SE. The transaction is confined to acquiring the equipment, personnel plus a couple of maintenance contracts. The two shallow draft trailing suction hopper dredgers are the most important assets, which with a capacity of 7,350 m3 each, a large modern backhoe dredger and four self-propelled barges.

By this acquisition, Boskalis enhances its home market position in Germany. Moreover, by means of acquiring the hopper dredgers, the requirement to renew part of the Boskalis dredging fleet in the 6,000 m3 to 9,000 m3 space will be fulfilled.

In consideration of this acquisition and the current market conditions, Boskalis will be taking a number of aging hoppers, cutters and backhoe dredgers out of service in the course of this year.

It is the aim to close the transaction in the first quarter of 2016 subject to the satisfaction of customary conditions.