Jan De Nul Sabetta dredging works

As reported in MJ, the dredging work to the port access channel and basin, was carried out so that Sabetta can accommodate LNG carriers of 300m in length with a capacity of 170,000m³.

Heleen Schellinck, Jan De Nul Group, told MJ that the work was completed during a short navigable period of ten ice-free weeks.

She said: “One of the main challenges to dredge 10 million m³ in only 10 weeks were without a doubt the day-to-day operational co-ordination of the large number of dredgers in a very limited area as well as the co-ordination between the dredging activities and the marine traffic of third parties in Sabetta. Continuous scheduling was needed in order to execute the dredging works as safe as possible and to all parties’ satisfaction.”

The 18 vessels and nearly 300 persons in a remote location certainly demanded a well-prepared logistical setup. During crew changes 200 persons were transported to and from their vessels in just a few days. A dedicated supply boat continuously sailed back and forth between the ports of Salekhard and Sabetta to ensure that the Jan De Nul Group fleet didn’t lack anything.

Jan De Nul’s dredgers left the Port of Murmansk and set sail for Sabetta in convoy where they arrived on 1 August 2013.

The fleet included cutter suction dredgers Niccolo Machiavelli (total installed diesel power 23.52 MW) and Leonardo da Vinci (total installed diesel power 20.26 MW); Trailing Suction Hopper Dredgers Bartolomeu Dias (hopper capacity 14,000m³), Al Idrisi (hopper capacity 7,500 m³), Francesco di Giorgio (hopper capacity 4,400 m³), Amerigo Vespucci (hopper capacity 3,500 m³), Pinta (hopper capacity 3,400 m³), De Bougainville (hopper capacity 3,700 m³); Split Hopper Barges Boussole, L’Aigle, Tiger, Astrolabe and Le Guerrier (all hopper capacity 3,700 m³).

In addition the fleet included multi-cats, a tug, launch and an excavation pontoon. All vessels left Sabetta on 8 October 2013 upon completion of the dredging works, just ahead of the oncoming ice.

The Russian Branch of Jan De Nul executed these works under a contract with the Russian contractor USK MOST who was appointed as the sole executor by State Order for the execution of the dredging works at the new Port of Sabetta.

Subsequent dredging campaigns will follow yearly from 2014 to 2018 during which up to an additional 70 million m³ will have to be dredged.