22 May 2020
Shoreham Port welcomed the Sospan Dau, a trailing suction hopper dredger to undertake essential maintenance dredging at it’s harbour entrance this week.
Maintenance dredging involves the removal of accumulated sediments from harbour channels and berths to ensure a safe depth of water for navigational purposes. Maintaining adequate water depths in all ports is an ongoing process, and at Shoreham Port, Tug boat’s Adurni and Acamar are used constantly to rake material away using a plough towed behind the tug.
However, the Port still require the Sospan Dau to aid the bed levelling process between their campaigns to ensure the channel depth remains at a safe level for navigating seafarers and leisure boat users.
A Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger is used for dredging loose and soft soils such as sand, gravel, silt or clay. A pump system sucks up a mixture of sand or soil and water, and discharges it in the ‘hopper’ or hold of the vessel.
Julian Seaman, Harbour Master commented “After a particularly rainy period in the lead up to spring, I’m pleased to report the Sospan Dau has now removed the additional sediments built up during the previous months' bad weather. Following its essential maintenance work, our harbour entrance is now in tip-top condition and can continue to welcome visiting vessels and their essential cargo through our lock gates.”
With over 95% of goods passing through UK ports, they act as essential gateways for critical supplies such as food, fuel for emergency vehicles, medical supplies and essential building materials - including marine aggregates for a number of emergency hospitals. It is, therefore, essential vessels delivering supplies can access the Port to keep the supply chain moving and keep Britain supplied.
Category: Maritime
