Damen introduces Plain Suction Dredger

Damen has added a new dredger to its dredging portfolio. Named the Plain Suction Dredger, this latest addition to the dredging range has been designed to be used for free flowing sand, which means that it therefore does not require a cutter unit. 

The new addition has been designed by the specialist Damen dredging team, and Mark van ‘t Veld, one of the specialists that developed the Plain Suction Dredger.

“What we often see is cutter suction dredgers being used in circumstances for which they have not been designed,” Mark van ‘t Veld said.

“A cutter suction dredger uses its cutter to mechanically loosen compacted soil, but when the soil is free flowing, this cutting action is superfluous. Bear in mind that cutters need power and so consume fuel. The dredge head is also a costly item of hydraulically powered equipment and the way that the cutter is used to grind away soils requires the vessel itself to be made much heavier. When all this force is not required, it is much more practical and economical to use a Plain Suction Dredger.”

“The Plain Suction Dredger is a practical dredging tool and is really easy to operate. It requires only one operator, who is in control of the entire operation. The main aim of the operator is to ensure that dredge production remains consistently high. To achieve this the sand mining head requires a constant flow of bottom material. The Plain Suction Dredger has been designed to work in non-compacted free flowing sand, and so it is equipped with a jet water assisted head to ensure that a good mixture concentration is reached.”

In summary, a Plain Suction Dredger is a stationary dredger with a central pivoting suction pipe and a high capacity sand mining head. The dredge pump and diesel drive are situated in the main pontoon, while a compact diesel generator set is located on the main pontoon. 

Also, the entire dredger is dismountable, enabling it to be fitted into just three standard containers.