Guascor Energy engines power equipment onboard dredger
Benefits
The Opportunity
The Bay of Biscay, which spans the eastern French coast, is notorious for wind and storms that cause significant beach erosion. Among the cities on the coast of the Bay is Bayonne, the ninth largest French port which also borders some of the finest beaches in the French Basque Region.
A constant supply of sand is required to refurbish and maintain these beaches. Moreover, incidents as disparate as storm-driven waves or a simple change in an offshore sandbar might cause one coastal area or port to lose sand while another gains.
As a result, the busy harbor must be continuously dredged to allow for the passage of ships as well as refurbish the sand for the many beaches that attract thousands of tourists annually. Special “dredger” vessels are employed to accomplish both tasks.
The Solution
A Dutch-Spanish co-operation between Damen Dredging Equipment (DDE) and Spain-based Astilleros de Murueta shipyard saw the first dredger delivered (2015) for the “Chambre de Commerce et d’Industries de Bayonne,” Pays Basque, which operates Bayonne Harbor.
Both parties made sure that the hopper dredger vessel be properly equipped for the task at hand. All design work, including both the basic design and the naval architecture, was performed by the shipyard. The vessel is 61.8 meters (20.3 feet) in length with a trailing pipe system, a 3.2 m3 (113 cubic feet) bucket grab crane. The superstructure is placed aft. The 500 millimeter (0.79 inches) trailing pipe, designed for a maximum dredging depth of minus 20 meter, (66 feet) was delivered complete with gantries, winches and position indication system.
Guascor Energy was asked to equip this vessel with two model SF480TAiIISG Guascor Energy generators, each with 1,725 horsepower / 1,800 rpm. The generators provide all the power necessary to drive the onboard equipment, including the dredging pumps. These engines have the unique capability to work simultaneously as both generators and as a propulsion system, and can be considered the core of the vessel.
The 1,200 m3 (42,378 cubic feet) trailing suction dredge (TSHD), aptly named “Hondarra,” which means “sand” in Basque, will perform maintenance dredging duties in the harbor of Bayonne and supply sand to the nearby beaches.
The Business
Guascor Energy is a leading company with more than 50 years of experience in the design and manufacture of diesel and gas internal combustion engines with its own technology. The company offers some of the most efficient and environmentally friendly technology platforms, products and services in distributed power generation for oil and gas, industrial, institutional, commercial clients and rural electrification programs. In addition, our offer is completed by a range of diesel engines for marine applications for both propulsion and on-board generation.
A complete product range which meets the strictest regulatory and safety requirements always adapting to the customer´s needs.
Guascor Energy has a network of more than 50 distributors and partners worldwide, which in addition to our own staff, allows us to provide unparalleled proximity and respond to the specific needs of each of our customers at a fast and personalized pace.
