Dredger in boxes transforms Lake Tanganyika

The work is to be done at Kigoma, on the shores of Lake Tanganyika, where the harbour has silted over the years. This has resulted in a water depth of between 2.5m and 3m where 6m depth is required for the entrance of fully loaded cargo vessels. The dredger will deepen the harbour and will maintain its depth in the future.

The dredger, owned by the Tanzania Port Autority, is designed for one man operation and has been equipped with a submerged dredge pump of type DOP3530LD, working to a maximum depth of 12 m.

The modular design of the dredger is seen clearly from the various main components, which consist of two fore and two aft side pontoons plus a separate power pack, winch frame, accommodation container, gantry and control cabin.

The diesel driven hydraulic power pack contains a Caterpillar C18 engine of 448kW powering the hydraulic winches, submerged dredge pump and cutter unit. Versatility is enhanced by a grab crane mounted aft for removal of large debris in the dredging area. The complete dredging package also included steel floating and shore pipelines, flexibles and floats, as well as all gaskets and fasteners for immediate start-up.

The dredger together with its discharge pipe was shipped to Dar es Salaam, located on the Indian Ocean at the East coast of Tanzania. The transport of 15 containers in total continued by train to Kigoma, some 1,200 km further on. There the items were unloaded and assembled afloat with the assistance of a container crane.

This latest Damen dredger has already made a flying start, enabling more effective transport on Lake Tanganyika.