Van Oord, a Dutch contracting company that specializes in dredging and land reclamation, has deployed its trailing suction hopper dredger Volvox Asia to the New Suez Canal Project.
The Volvox Asia will accompany three stationary cutter suction dredgers and a large self-propelled cutter suction dredger, already working on the project. Another cutter suction dredger will be added to the dredging fleet in the canal in a month.
Van Oord is part of the consortium executing the New Suez Canal project.
The Suez Canal and Van Oord
Van Oord and the Suez Canal share a long history. Adriaan Volker, one of Van Oord founding fathers, travelled to Egypt as early as 1897 to scout potential dredging work in the canal.
In 1906, his visit resulted in a contract to dredge the Suez Canal from Ismailia to the southernmost point of the Great Bitter Lake. Bucket dredgers Suez I, II and III were built for the job.
The project was completed in 1911.