First Damen CSD under construction in Azerbaijan

Baku Shipyard is currently working on the construction of a Damen Cutter Suction Dredger (CSD) 650.

The dredger, which will be ready later this year, will be operated by the Port of Baku, a thriving transport hub on the western shore of the Caspian Sea.

While Baku Shipyard has built a wide array of vessels over time, this is the first cutter suction dredger to be built in Azerbaijan.

All steel work is being carried out by the yard according to the Damen design. The materials package delivered by Damen to the yard include the main components such as the dredge pump and the operating cabin etc.

The CSD 650 is a stationary dredger designed to work at a dredging depth of between -3m and -18m. The 700 kW cutter power and 1,825 kW dredge pump power combined with the impressive 63 m swing width ensure efficient dredging operations.

Alexander Shamray, Damen Sales Manager, commented: “We are very happy to work together with Baku Shipyard. The professional team has taken up the project brilliantly, and the quality of the output is impressive. We are delighted that the dredger is progressing the way it is, especially considering that it is the first that the yard has built.“

The well-equipped dredger, which has been named Engineer Soltan Kazimov, will be performing maintenance dredging duties in the port.

Accessibility is key here particularly as over the past five years the water level in the Caspian Sea has significantly dropped. This combined with the latest port expansion, ensures dredging is a necessity to keep the various berths available for ever-increasing port traffic.