Dredge Customized To Meet Demands of Acidic Environment

Damen Dredging Equipment delivered a customized CSD500-S to Australian customer, Energy Resources of Australia (ERA). The CSD, which has been named the Brolga I, will work in an acidic environment with a pH of approximately 3 for which many adaptations have been incorporated.

The CSD500-S is based on the Damen standard vessel type, yet customized to meet the customer’s health, safety and environmental requirements and unique operational conditions.

The modular dredge will be supported by a Multi Cat 1205 workboat, named the Ginga, which has also been fully customized to meet Australian Maritime and Safety Authority (AMSA) requirements and to operate in the same conditions. This Multi Cat will be delivered including an A-frame, heavy hydraulic deck crane and a special support frame for the cutter head of the CSD 500.

The environment in which the CSD500-S and the MultiCat 1205 will operate requires a specialized focus on corrosion protection. All steel parts including the hulls of both vessels and suction ladder of the CSD-S have been provided with a special coating. The discharge pipe line is made in HDPE instead of steel. The dredge valve in the discharge piping has been made in stainless steel, and the box coolers are fabricated in 100 percent titanium.

Due to the mining job in the low pH lake and the requirements of the customer, safety precaution measures have been implemented such as an operating cabin with overpressure, and secured walkways with additional safety and tripping lines. The CSD500-S is fully compliant with the rules and regulations of AMSA, Class society and ERA’s own mine site requirements.