A complex conversion from barge to dredger

Seawork 11th - 13th June 2024	Speed@Seawork 10th June 2024	Commercial Marine Network Conferences

The 25th edition of Europe’s largest commercial marine and workboat exhibition, provides businesses the opportunity to showcase their services, equipment, vessels and supplies to an international audience.	Speed@Seawork on Monday 10 June in Cowes offers a sector specific event that showcases fast vessels operating at high speed for security interventions and Search & Rescue.	The Commercial Marine Network, in partnership with Seawork and Maritime Journal, introduce Series 3 of ‘Get set for Workboat 2050’. An online conference series of expert panels navigating the waters of decarbonisation compliance and looking at practical applications across the workboat industry.
Visit the Seawork Website	Speed@Seawork on the Seawork Website	View the Conferences on Maritime Journal

Concordia Damen recently delivered a special project for a Nigerian dredging company, the conversion of a Dutch barge into a dredger.

Sayonara TSHD

Source: Concordia Damen

The Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger (TSHD) ‘Sayonara’ has already entered into operations and is at work on the Lagos lagoon

The Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger (TSHD) ‘Sayonara’ has already entered into operation and is at work on the Lagos lagoon.

“This project is special, there are only a few inland shipping vessels turned dredgers in the world,” Saskia den Herder, Damen, told MJ.

”As a small team, Concordia Damen pulled off an amazing feat to turn an existing vessel into a fit-for-purpose vessel for a completely different market and different use. The vessel has been fully customised down to the choice and location of the loading and discharging equipment. This has all be done to maximise operational efficiency on the specific dredging project in Nigeria.”

Complex conversion

Converting an inland shipping barge instead of building a new-build dredger has several advantages, according to the yard.

Because of the fast delivery time and because it saves money at the bottom line, it is a very attractive option for dredging businesses.

Three years ago, the Werkendam shipyard came into contact with the Nigerian dredging company via Damen Shipyards Gorinchem.

This eventually led to the start of the complex conversion project in December 2021.

All the dredging equipment for the new vessel is supplied by Damen Dredging - the same installations that are usually fitted in newbuilds.

These include a 500 mm trailing suction pipe, gantries, winches, the dredge pump and valves. The refitted TSHD has a capacity of about 1,400 m3.

The barge conversion was completed in close cooperation with several trusted suppliers, including system integrator, Werkina Werkendam.

To create the necessary space for the dredge pump - with drive and various dredging pipes - Concordia Damen cut the ‘Sayonara’ in half and extended it with 7.5m and a special pump chamber.

After extensive testing to ensure that the vessel, once in Nigeria, would not experience any teething problems, Jumbo-SAL-Alliance’s HLV Fairplayer transported the special TSHD to the customer in Lagos.