Damen Raises the Bar in South Australia

Kingston District Council, in partnership with the Cape Jaffa Development Group, has recently taken delivery of a cutter suction dredger (CSD) from Damen Shipyards Group.

The CSD350 will be used to dredge along the breakwater at Cape Jaffa, the Cape Jaffa marina and within Maria Creek Boat Launch Facility in Kingston.

“This is the only dredger owned by a South Australian council, and has been the most significant purchase Kingston District Council has undertaken in terms of the logistics involved in an overseas purchase, transportation and assembly,” Damen said.

The CSD350 was selected as it can dredge at a max dredging depth of -9m and pumps some 2.000 m³/h – being 10 times the capacity of the aged dredger which has worked across some of the waters previously.

The modular CSD was transported aboard a container vessel from the Netherlands to Port Adelaide in six shipping containers and three breakbulk items – where it then commenced its transit by road some 330kms into Cape Jaffa for assembly.

On location, the stationary dredger was assembled swiftly by the local crew assisted by two Damen Field Service Engineers.

The 55 tonne dredger has been commissioned and has undergone all start up trials, after which it was handed over to the council. The joint assembly and testing process was completed in difficult winter weather conditions ahead of program.