Project

Deepening of the entrance channel, turning basin and container port.

Location : Freeport, Grand Bahama Island
Client : Freeport Harbour Company
Contractor : Dredging International N.V.
Period : April 2003 - December 2003
Value : € 11,000,000

Scope of work

Capital Dredging

General Information

Freeport is the deepest deep-sea harbour off the eastern coast of the United States. The dredging and deepening works that we have carried out even increased the strategic importance of this container hub. Freeport container port can accommo-date up to six ships alongside each other.

Description of the works

The contract calls for dredging works in the entrance channel and the turning basin to a depth of minus 16 metres, and to deepen the container port to minus 15.5 metres.

The heavy-duty cutter suction dredger “Amazone” has been assigned, after the installed power on the cutter head was upgraded to 4,000 HP to handle the hard limestone material.

One of the peculiarities of working in Freeport is the frequent need to uncouple the floating lines, although a sinker has been installed. More than ten times a day on average, incoming cruise vessels and container ships cross the “Amazone” dredging site, forcing all work to be stopped.

Main Equipment

Cutter suction dredger AMAZONE