DEME Photo: TSHD Pallieter Busy on River Scheldt

Large seagoing vessels can only reach the Port of Antwerp thanks to ongoing maintenance dredging work along the River Scheldt.

DEME’s 5.230 m³ trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) Pallieter is a constant feature on the river, steadfastly and efficiently carrying out this vital work.

Over the years, a lot of innovation has been applied both in hardware, software, and crew training. Better software and training allows for increased efficiency, lower dredged volumes, diminished cost of dredging per volume, environmental awareness and better accountability, DEME said.

Although the majority of the dredged sand is kept in the tidal system in order to maintain the dynamic equilibrium in the estuary, a significant volume is beneficially used every year for various applications: hydraulic reclamation of the polder areas, reinforcement and raising the dikes within the framework of the protection programs against flooding, etc.

DEME considers the maintenance dredging on the Scheldt to be a ‘nursery’ for innovation and a training ground for their crew.