Damen is well-known for its comprehensive range of standard dredgers, but it has now added a radically different design to its portfolio: a twin-hulled, deep cutter suction dredger designated the DCSD500.
This compact new dredger has been designed to operate at dredging depths that have previously been possible to reach only with larger dredgers.
The fully dismountable DCSD500 has been designed in a catamaran format with the buoyancy provided by pontoons forming the outer limits of the vessel to port and starboard. The suction ladder, which is centrally mounted between them, is fitted with a submerged dredge pump which is directly driven by a diesel engine. This is also mounted on the ladder. The dredger can be controlled by a single individual from the control cabin which is raised for an optimal project overview.
Dredging can be done down to the impressive dredging depth of around 25 meters. The 110kW cutter unit is designed for breaking up compacted soil and the submerged dredge pump, capable of moving approximately 4,000 m3/h of mixture, is highly efficient, operating at high concentrations due to its position below the waterline. A 954 kW CAT type 3512 C TA diesel engine is mounted on the suction ladder to drive the dredge pump directly.
The key consideration behind the design has been to meet demand for a cost-efficient dredger that is able to dredge deeper than the current options available in the Damen portfolio. This catamaran design competes with much larger traditional pontoon-based alternatives. Moreover, the location of the diesel engine on the ladder is a straightforward and cost-effective choice as is the use of a standard spud anchoring system.
The new Damen dredger does share one element with its conventional counterparts. It is fully dismountable into container-sized elements. This ensures practical transport at low cost to almost any location, coastal or inland, by road, rail, sea or air.
The new DCSD500 is the cost-effective alternative for contractors having to dredge deeper.