The launch ceremony of SHANTI SAGAR 17 – an 8,000m³ standardized trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) – took place today, 31 March, at Royal IHC’s shipyard in Krimpen aan den IJssel, The Netherlands.
This is the first of two Beagle 8 TSHDs for Adani – the second (SHANTI SAGAR 18) is scheduled to be launched in July 2017.
“ The launch of this first Beagle® dredger is an important milestone for us ,” says IHC’s Dave Vander Heyde, CEO . “ The IHC Beagle series has been designed with a number of standard features, including high performance dredge pumps, an innovative hull shape and an ergonomically designed bridge layout and consoles .”
“ Due to the modular design, the vessels can be adapted – either during construction or at a later stage – to suit specific needs ,” he added. “ For example, the SHANTI SAGAR 17 will be deployed for capital dredging with challenging soils, and will therefore be equipped with a heavier draghead and additional propulsion power. This dredger type fits the desired profile of Adani, India’s largest private multi-port operator, which is why the company decided to order two Beagle 8s last year. ”
Col. Vinod George, Chief Operating Officer, Dredging and Reclamation at Adani Group says: “ Since 2005 we have created our own dredging department and built up a fleet of 16 dredgers, of which IHC is our main supplier. IHC has also helped us to gain dredging experience by providing training and services .”
“ For us, the development of this standardized series of TSHDs came at the right time. We were looking for a lean, highly productive and reliable dredger. Cost-efficiency is the most important keyword when we select our dredging equipment, and this vessel perfectly meets our requirements !”
Several innovations
Each Beagle 8 is equipped with IHC’s Trailspeed Controller (TSC) and Eco Pump Controller (EPC). Developed in-house, the TSC ensures a constant speed while dredging, which leads to higher average production results and greater levels of consistency. The EPC reduces excessive cavitation as well as wear and tear, and fuel consumption.
Easy operation will be facilitated by the Intuitive Hopper Control Chair (IHCC). The ergonomic chair is equipped with controls in the armrests and enables the operator to have complete command of the dredging process.
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