Within the exceptional short delivery time of just 4.5 months, Damen Shipyards Group has been able to deliver a customized Multi Cat 2409 for port and fairway maintenance at the Guinean Port of Kamsar. Great cooperation of Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinée (CBG) and Damen, overcoming covid restrictions in the process, has led to the outfitting of the vessel for a multitude of operations in the West-African port.
Damen will bring the new vessel to Guinea on its own keel, departing from the Hardinxveld yard in The Netherlands end of April for a journey of about four weeks. GBG will take delivery of the vessel and name her Lamine Camara. The vessel is equipped with two cranes. On the fore deck an exceptionally powerful crane is installed that can lift a weight of more than 18 tonnes at a range of 7 meters, while a second crane on the aft deck can lift more than 4.5 tonnes at a range of more then 5 meters. This is key equipment for lifting and laying buoys that mark the harbour entrance. CBG is responsible for port maintenance as the single largest user of the Port of Kamsar.
Fairway marking
Maintenance of the buoys that guide bauxite ore carriers to and from the Port of Kamsar is crucial, especially in the rainy season with its limited visibility. Shallow waters with sand banks that move with tidal and river flows in the mouth of the Nunez river require careful navigation for which clearly laid out fairways marked with buoys are essential. Train tracks go from this port to the ore mines inland, bauxite is shipped from here to aluminium producers round the world.
Harbour plough
Two Caterpillar CAT C32 engines provide a total propulsion power of 1268 kiloWatt resulting in a bollard pull of 22.5 tonnes. The vessel offers 109 square meters of deck space. A winch with 72 tonnes brake holding power adds to the flexibility of the vessel, that is equipped for a multitude of operations. A special tool is the 8 meter plough, installed aboard on an A-frame at the stern of the vessel. CBG will use the Multi Cat to plough the sea bed near the quays to keep the water deep enough and take away excess underwater vegetation that may obstruct manoeuvring and berthing at the harbour.
Stock
The Damen Multi Cat 2409 is part of the standardised range of Damen Multi Cats that consists of vessels from 9 meters up to 37 meters of overall length. All vessels are the result of years of experience from operators and ship builders and offer practical and safe working conditions in a high quality and durable construction and outfitting. Damen builds vessel beforehand and has them in stock for quick delivery to clients. Only weeks are needed to equip the Multi Cats to operator specifications, so the vessel can be engaged in actual operations very quickly.
 and Damen, overcoming covid restrictions in the process, has led to the outfitting of the vessel for a multitude of operations in the West-African port.){kind=link}