New dredging campaign to keep Port Taranaki at depth
Dutch Dredging’s trailing suction hopper dredger Albatros started a new campaign to keep the shipping channels of Port Taranaki, New Zealand navigable.
It is the second dredging campaign by TSDH Albatros. The dredging is expected to be completed in eight weeks.
Shorter campaign
The maintenance dredging work started on 22 February, following an initial surveying of the area, to determine the dredging locations and likely volume of material to be removed. It will be the second dredging campaign carried out at Port Taranaki by the Albatros, a trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) that is owned and operated by Dutch Dredging.
The Albatros replaced the decommissioned Pelican and proved more efficient and effective in 2019, cutting four weeks off the previous campaign duration.
Channel depths
‘Dredging does an important job maintaining the required draft for the safe passage of vessels in and out of Port Taranaki’, says engineering manager Ludo Galliegue at Port Taranaki.
‘The Albatros was very proficient in its first campaign here, removing about 400,000 cubic meter of sand and sediment that is driven into the port by the predominant current and wave action that hits the main breakwater. We expect similar amounts of material to be removed this campaign to maintain the channel depths.’
The captured material will be dropped at sites within consented areas.
