Damen unveils new range of dredgers

Using submerged dredge pumps with capacities ranging from 600m3 per hour to 2,400 m3 per hour, the new Damen DOP Dredger Series can operate at water depths of up to 100m, far deeper than other dredger types. The submerged pumps can be fitted with a range of specialised suction devices including mining heads or cutter units and can be easily connected to excavators and cranes.  
Sand excavation is important for land reclamation projects. But the DOP dredgers are also likely to prove popular with the operators of hydroelectric dams, water reservoirs and companies mining under water for minerals. An all-electric version is likely to prove suitable for maintenance dredging at reservoirs and dams.  
Damen’s product director Dredging, Olivier Marcus, said: "In the past we have had many requests for 'ad hoc' dredgers using a DOP pump. So we have listened to our clients and learnt from that. They told us mobility and a deep dredging depth were vital. The knowledge and experience we have gained over the years has now led to the development of a new standard series of DOP Dredgers focusing on maximum sand production at significant depths and practical transport and assembly due to the limited unit weights."
The new range of dredgers follow the construction of more than 20 DOP units on a one-off basis as well as the supply of at least 380 DOP pumps. The devices have proved highly successful for sand excavation in deep waters because of their simple design, the company said. Components of the new dredger series are standard and delivery times are short. Units can even be built on site in remote locations.