Jan De Nul Successfully Completes Port Hedland Dredging
Jan De Nul Successfully Completes Port Hedland Dredging
The capital dredging work for the Channel Risk and Optimization Project (CROP) has been completed by Jan De Nul Group in Port Hedland, Western Australia. They can now look back at three-year cooperation with the Pilbara Ports Authority being successful.
Hopper Dredgers, a Cutter Suction Dredger and Split Hopper Barges were used in the past three years in order to dredge sections of the navigational path that is 42-km long. This also helped to improve safety and to provide sustainable access to the Port Hedland.
Elimination of the high spots and creation of two regugee zones and a passing lane for emergency alongside the outer section of the shipping channel were included in the project.
Located on the North-West coast of Australia, Port Hedland is the largest export port of Australia on the besis of annual throughput. Not only this but it is also the largest bulk mineral export of the world with the major export commodity being iron ore. At present, 6,000 vessel movements are safely and efficiently managed by the Port.
“We are pleased that we were able to partner once again with the PPA in successfully delivering this critical and vital phase of the project”, says David Jonckheere, Area Director Oceania and Asia at Jan De Nul Group. “The final portion of this three-year project was specifically challenging as it had to be executed within a fully operational and extremely busy port. We are also greatly appreciative of the close and practical approach we received from the PPA representatives on an ongoing day-to-day basis.”
Customized innovative solutions:
Specific execution methods were used by Jan De Nul because of the strict environmental requirements and operational constraints that exist in the busy Port Hedland. The Cutter Suction Dredger Niccolo Macchiavella which was assisted by two Split Hopper Barges was moved in barge loading mode. This, reducing the risk of jeopardizing the existing channel and insured the secure access to and from the berths in the inner port.
To meet the planning and strict operational and environmental requirements, Jan De Nul Group customized its fleet. A self-made ripper drag head that enhances the capabilities was fitting in the Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger Charles Darwin. In order to enhance the flexibility and for the cost and time efficiency in the execution of the work, in house developed killing drag head was used with the Hopper Dredger Juan Sebastián de Elcano which helps in the dredging of specific areas.
Reference: Port Hedland
