Customised Damen 500-class cutter suction dredger will support Metalkol’s mining operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Representatives of Metalkol have completed the technical inspection and acceptance of a customised Damen CSD500 cutter suction dredger (CSD) at Damen Dredging’s yard in the Netherlands.
Following extensive inspections and testing, the dredger was approved for delivery and will now be transported to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where it will support mining operations.
Prior to acceptance, the standard stock CSD500 was configured to meet the specific requirements of the project using a range of proven Damen options. These include anchor booms for swing anchor handling, a spud carriage pontoon to increase the dredger’s swing width, an extended dredging depth capability of 16 metres, a vacuum relief valve, a discharge valve and a package of dredging instrumentation.
“Our client required a state-of-the-art dredger suited to a remote location and high levels of uptime. We enjoyed a number of fruitful discussions as we worked towards a suitable solution that incorporated the requirements of the operations team. We are pleased that, due to our stock building programme, we have been able to fully customise the CSD within a few weeks of the order,” said Frederick Vandepitte, Damen Regional Director.
Following the successful acceptance, the CSD500 is being prepared for transportation to Africa. In line with Damen’s modular dredger concept, the vessel will be disassembled into modules, optimised for efficient transport by road and water, as well as assembly at the mining site.
