For maintenance of a port access channel in the Caspian Sea, Damen recently delivered a plough to a local work boat.
The maintenance works for the port facility are carried out by a TSHD. In the dredge runs, the TSHD’s drag head is lowered into the sediments on the channel bed, inherently forming a ridge.
“Dredge ploughs – or bed levelers – are used as a low cost tool to remove these ridges; the TSHDs can continue to do their main job, increasing their productivity and efficiency,” said Damen in its announcement.
For the vessel Arlan, Damen delivered an 8-meter wide plough, weighing some 5 tonnes. The plough has been fitted out with exchangeable teeth and is optimized in its flow profile, said Damen.
The vessel is further equipped with an A-frame and dedicated winch for manoeuvring the plough as well as positioning instrumentation.
On site, the plough encounters mainly silt and soft to firm clay.
According to Damen, the project is a good example of the advantage of the many different professionals within the Damen Shipyards Group: the plough was designed at Damen Dredging Equipment and made at Albwardy Damen.
The dredge plough was introduced to the vessel’s crew by a trainer from the Damen Field Service team.