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DREDGE YARD

A CLEANER CUT FOR DREDGING

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DREDGE YARD

I PROFILE

Concerned that dredging’s conventional cutting systems are disturbing the environment, Dutch innovator Dredge Yard is launching a revolutionary, high-efficiency alternative. “It’s a complete solution to environmentally friendly cutting,” said CEO Basel Yousef. Colin Chinery reports.

174 Inside marine

redging’s ecolog-

blade cutter head – will reduce spillage

ical good guy/bad

and turbidity, while increasing dredger

guy image is set to

productivity. In short – a complete solution

change to environmental saviour as leading innovator Dredge Yard

to high efficiency, environmentally friendly cutting.

begins rolling out a breakthrough technology. The Rotterdam headquartered

Founding goals

company designs, engineers, builds and

Innovation, along with client focus, fast

supplies small to medium-sized dredgers

turn round and flexibility, were founding

and dredge components with the aim of

principles when Mr Yousef co-founded

improving the current dredging process

the company back in 2010. Working for

and its environmental impact.

another dredging supplier, he had seen

“Our vision is to continuously improve and adapt to new technologies and

a widespread lack of flexibility and client-orientation.

methodologies to create dredging equip-

“And that’s extremely annoying since

ment that’s not only cost-effective, but

dredging needs customised operations,

also environmentally friendly,” said CEO

customised equipment,” he explained.

Basel Yousef.

“And to achieve that, clients need

Dredging’s benefits are well established – sediment and debris removal from rivers

a flexible, rapid-response supplier. “We took off very quickly. Customers

and harbours for example, and land

started coming to us asking for cus-

reclamation and coastal protection. But

tomised equipment, and a way of

dredging is also on the environmental

doing things that was different from

hit list - pollution, contaminated soils,

what they had been getting from their

damaged fish spawning grounds and

established suppliers.

riverbank destabilisation. In most dredging operations, spillage

“Basically, we were following standard customer needs. We didn't have the arro-

results in losing as much as 80% of cut

gance to tell them, ‘this is the way you

material. But Dredge Yard’s latest inno-

do it.’ So, we won more and more orders

vation – the Cutting System - a unique

and we haven’t been still since. And with

and game-changing electric closed

offices in the Netherlands and United

Inside marine 175

DREDGE YARD

I PROFILE

CT SYSTEMS CT Systems BV is proud to supply Dredge Yard with GeoDredge, a turnkey all-in-one 3D positioning system. The GeoDredge has internal RTK GPS, high-speed internet and runs the Viking Dredging software on an internal PC. All sensors are directly interfaced with the GeoDredge on a communication bus.

editorial mention

176 Inside marine

In-house powerhouse A standard dredge line exists of a portfolio of six auger and cutter dredges that can operate at several different depths; each assembled and tested in-house at the Rotterdam facility or with on-location engineers. Arab Emirates, we are

These are backed by strong technical

well-positioned to serve

client support, including maintenance

customers around the world. “Our great team of engineers in Dubai and The Netherlands were part of Dredge Yard from the

and crew training. Beside those dredgers, customised dredgers are supplied in co-operation with different yards worldwide. For components,

very beginning, and are available to

a wide range of products in standard

work anywhere from the Middle East

type or customised are delivered, such

and Asia to Africa.”

as dredge pumps, ball joints, valves

End use applications range from

and cutters.

canal sand channels, marinas, harbours,

“We are committed to promoting

reservoirs and industrial settling ponds,

safety, and we do our best to ensure

to environmental and mine tailing removal

safety for those who will be operating

and dredging.

our dredgers,” Mr Yousef said. “Our

Among worldwide projects was the

engineers are involved in the entire

delivery of a customised Eco 200 electric

tailor-made process; from the moment

cutter suction dredger for chloride brine

a customer comes with a first inquiry

mining in Canada and a multipurpose cutter

right up to commissioning and production.”

suction dredger 400 for improving water

If quality control is central to the Dredge

quality in a water dam in Hungary. Dredge

Yard methodology, so too is competitive

Yard is also currently building a cutter suc-

pricing, according to Mr Yousef: “We

tion dredger 650 for central Asia and Cutter

understand that cost is a major consider-

suction dredger 450 for Africa.

ation when purchasing new equipment,

Inside marine 177

DREDGE YARD

I PROFILE

and we strive to offer our customers the

“One of the

best possible value for their investment

major issues is that

at the most competitive price possible.”

they spill a lot of material, and so five years ago

Electric close blade cutterhead

we began developing what is

The new cutter emerged over years of

now the new, patented system:

intensive engineering, FEM and computer

the electric closed blade.”

simulation. The full-scale model prototype

By combining the close blades

was launched two years ago, followed by

with a hollow shaft and an electric ring

further on-going testing.

motor, the result is a state-of-the-art

Dredge Yard’s CEO described the back-

cutter, offering, as Mr Yousef described:

ground: “Sometime after our formation,

“a complete solution to environmentally

we thought we should come up with

friendly cutting.”

something to improve dredging. We inves-

Now the first two units of the system –

tigated the dredging market and noted

which can be used with any type of dredger

that the conventional cutting systems

and retrofitted to existing dredgers – are

were working inefficiently and disturbing

scheduled for delivery to a USA customer

the environment.

by the end of this year.

178 Inside marine

CE O

Ba lY se

f se ou

Greener dredging “Dredge Yard strives for a greener future where dredging will not cause any negative impacts on the nature and its inhabitants,” said Mr Yousef. “As a result, we are

gestion that it is engaged in a competitive sprint: “We don't see ourselves in race with others. In fact, we want to engage in cooperation with others, even competitors, to improve dredging and minimise its impact on the environment.

constantly researching the newest

“The new electric close blades cutter

technologies in order to design and

is our patent, but we will be offering this

engineer more efficient, greener

widely across the market and we are

dredging solutions.”

open to work with any other company

Next year should see the new electric

or competitor to support the environment.

cutter showcasing at events. But ortho-

“Dredging is an activity unique to its

doxy and convention run deep in the

environment, from soil types to weather

dredging sector, and Mr Yousef concedes

and hydrographical conditions. Therefore,

that many operators are likely to wait

we believe that every project requires

for it to become more operational before

a different solution, and we are here to

committing themselves.

adapt to it.

“We have customers who are extremely

“We have a vision of a dredging

interested, and we are talking to some

industry, which offers a safe, healthy,

with the aim of implementing this

accident-free workplace,” Mr Yousef

technology,” he explained.

concluded, “improving the environment

“Unfortunately, our market is rather con-

and living standards, and without

servative, and in the main they want to

causing harm to the surrounding

see it more in the market before they

habitats and nature.

adopt it.” If Dredge Yard is an industry front runner, Mr Yousef dismissed any sug-

“We need to make progress, move forward and work together to improve this industry.”

n Inside marine 179