The new hopper dredger ‘Gaasterland’, owned by Mineralis BV from Wezep, is employed to win sand on the IJsselmeer since June 2012. Teus Vlot Dredging BV, from Sliedrecht – Holland, has equipped the new ship with a DN 400 suction pipe installation with an underwater pump, which can win sand and gravel from a depth up to 45 meters; that is quite unique for the Dutch inland shipping.
The GIW underwater pump is placed on a cradle structure and is driven by a 355 kW underwater electric motor. The sand is being pumped up in high concentrations and then screened or unscreened through the loading arm in another vessel or to the own cargo. The complete suction pipe is suspended in two heavy so-called TVD gantries and two TVD winches.
The height-adjustable screen is placed at the center inherits on a structure, which also carries the loading arm. The loading arm is adjustable in height and can swivel 180 degrees to be stored safely next to the screen. The installation is equipped with TVD dredge valves to steer the sand to different directions.
To provide the installation with enough jet water a durable GIW LCC slurrypomp is installed, directly driven by an electric motor. With the shorter loading times and attended costs- and energy savings the hopper dredger ’Gaasterland’ is a real asset for the fleet of Mineralis.
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Dredging Today Staff, June 28, 2013