TSHD Sospan Dau dredging the Harwich main channel (PHOTO)

Earlier this month, Boskalis Westminster/Van Oord Joint Venture started work on the €140 million Harwich Haven Channel Deepening Project.

First to arrive on site was trailer suction hopper dredger (TSHD) Sospan Dau – pictured above in the Walton backwaters. The vessel is working in the main channel, disposing of material to the beneficial disposal scheme at Horsey Island.

According to Harwich Haven Authority (HHA), the dredge area is a section of the main channel known as area C2 covering the whole width of the main channel and running from about 250m east of the Platters / Pitching Ground buoys to about 1,000m west of the same buoys.

The current disposal work at Horsey Island (Hamford Water) is likely to last around five weeks, after which disposal operations will move to four separate sites in Mersea Harbour (at Cobmarsh Island, Old Hall Marsh, Tollesbury Wick and Packing Marsh Island).

Overall, the Harwich Haven Channel Deepening Project includes removal of approx. 15 million cubic meters of silt, sand and clay that will be dredged by trailing suction hopper dredgers and a large backhoe dredger.

As reported by the consortium of Boskalis and Van Oord, this massive dredging project will be completed within the next two years.