IHC Merwede has won the HME Maritime Innovation Award with its IHC Spud Guard® at the sixth annual Maritime Awards Gala. This Award is presented to the manufacturer of an extremely innovative product, which is relevant to the maritime sector and has sufficient sales and export potential.
According to the judging panel, the IHC Spud Guard® – invented and produced by IHC Beaver Dredgers – proves that IHC Merwede is without question a market leader in innovative dredging equipment. It was also very much appreciated that young engineers were involved in the project, which highlights that the next generation of talent is already cooperating in the innovative power of The Netherlands.
The IHC Spud Guard® provides the opportunity for vessels to work in waves. During the dredging process, the cutter suction dredger (CSD) swings from side to side and the spud pole – placed in a spud carriage – connects the ship to the sea floor. The IHC Spud Guard® protects the spud and reduces the potential risk of damage caused by severe weather.
In normal working conditions, the IHC Spud Guard® operates as a conventional, rigid spud carriage. In severe wave conditions, when the dredger is battling against the elements and putting pressure on the spud pole, then the spud is able to rotate. When the forces on the spud pole threaten to exceed the maximum value, the IHC Spud Guard® warns the CSD’s operator and intervenes automatically when the forces exceed the limit.
The IHC Spud Guard® limits the amount of downtime for the CSD, maximising productivity and revenues generated as a result. It also prevents the spud from breaking to reduce costs and related downtime. As the IHC Spud Guard® is interchangeable with a conventional spud carriage, the expansion of a CSD with this equipment is cost effective and easy to manage.
This innovation from IHC Beaver Dredgers and the prestigious HME Award once again endorse IHC Merwede’s position as the technology innovator. Many of the world’s major dredging corporations rely on its equipment to move material from the river bed or ocean floor and transport it to their vessels. From spare parts to complex dredging solutions, such as the IHC Spud Guard®, IHC Merwede provides products that are designed to meet the demands of the dredging world.
Company profile IHC Merwede
IHC Merwede is focussed on the continuous development of design and construction activities for the specialist maritime sector. It is the global market leader for efficient dredging and mining vessels and equipment – with vast experience accumulated over decades – and a reliable supplier of custom-built ships and supplies for offshore construction.
IHC Merwede has in-house expertise for engineering and manufacturing innovative vessels and advanced equipment, as well as providing life-cycle support. Its integrated systematic approach has helped to develop optimum product performance and long-term business partnerships.
The company’s broad customer base includes dredging operators, oil and gas corporations, offshore contractors and government authorities.
IHC Merwede has over 3,000 employees based at various locations in The Netherlands, China, Croatia, France, India, the Middle East, Nigeria, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Technological innovation will remain the company’s underlying strength through its continuous investment in research and development. Moreover, it helps to safeguard a sustainable environment.
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Source: ihcmerwede, November 4, 2011