Neptune Marine launches water injection dredger
A water injection dredger has been launched at the Neptune Marine shipyard near Dordrecht in the Netherlands.
Jan De Nul’s new Pancho, based on an existing Neptune workboat, is destined for the Argentine dredging market, hence its Spanish name. A second water injection dredger from the same shipyard, with the same dimensions and characteristics, has been ordered by Jan De Nul.
“The knowledge and experience of the newbuilding department within Jan De Nul is impressive, and it was inspiring to come up with a dredger in a short time, based on an existing workboat design, that will distinguish itself in the market through its dredging performance and robustness,” said Martijn Schouten, sales manager at Neptune Marine’s shipyard business.
Ideal for ports
A water injection dredger is smaller than a trailing suction hopper dredger and can therefore be better deployed in ports and rivers where the work area is often smaller. In water injection dredging, water is injected under low pressure into the subsoil, causing the soil material to move. This technique is especially suitable in areas with recent sediment deposits or for moving fine sand over shorter distances.
“The experience with our existing fleet of water injection dredgers taught us that there was a need for a more compact vessel to reach the smaller corners in ports and rivers,” said Jan Van de Velde, head of Newbuilding at Jan De Nul.
“However, despite her compact character, the Pancho has a depth range of more than 20 metres! Perfect for maintenance dredging,” he added.
Jan De Nul has five water injection dredging vessels in its fleet, including the Pancho and its sister vessel currently under construction. Pancho is scheduled to begin deployment in March.
