Spotlight on Boskalis’ sand sourcing operation in Cambridge Gulf

Boskalis Australia is looking to develop a marine sand sourcing operation in Cambridge Gulf on the north coast of Western Australia’s Kimberley region.

According to the Proposal Content Document, sand would be sourced using a sand production vessel (SPV), based on the design of a large trailer suction hopper dredger (TSHD), and exported on the SPV to Asian markets for use in construction projects.

The operation is proposed to occur within the Proposed Operational Area (POA), a reduced area within two exploration tenements in CG, E80/5655 (Block 4) and E80/6009 (Block 4A).

Under the plan, up to 70 million cubic meters of sand would be removed and exported over 15 years, after which time the seabed within the 100-square-kilometre proposed operational area would be about 1 meter lower.

The project received conditional approval from the WA Environmental Protection Authority late last year.