Australia: Dredger “Rotterdam” Completes Its Work on WBDDP

The trailing suction hopper dredge Rotterdam has completed its work on the Western Basin Dredging and Disposal Project (WBDDP) and is currently demobilising to leave the Gladstone harbour.

The Rotterdam arrived in the Gladstone harbour in October 2012 to perform dredging works in order to provide access for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) shipping vessels to the LNG sites on Curtis Island.

The Rotterdam removed dredge material from the seabed and placed the material at the East Banks offshore site, an approved site outside of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, which has been in use by the Gladstone Ports Corporation (GPC) for over 20 years.

The departure of the Rotterdam marks the end of the use of the East Banks off shore disposal site by the WBDDP. Approximately 4.4 million cubic metres of dredge spoil was deposited at the East Banks off shore disposal site during the WBDDP under strict regulatory and monitoring conditions.

The Rotterdam operated as part of the WBDDP under the comprehensive water quality and seagrass monitoring programme.

There are currently two dredges operating on the WBDDP, the Al Mahaar ar6 Castor both cutter suction dredges, However, the Al Mahaar is currently under maintenance. The Al Mahaar and Castor both pump dredge material to the Western Basin reclamation area.

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Press Release, March 18, 2013