Dredge Yard has received an order for a customized cutter suction dredger (CSD) from Western Potash Corp. (WPC), a development stage potash company based in Canada.
“When designing a dredger for WPC, special attention was paid to achieve a solution that would be as ecologically and economically responsible as possible. Therefore, this ECO dredger features a variety of customization to optimize its efficiency,” said Dredge Yard in their release.
An example of this is its four electric motors. Each motor drives a different component, allowing for optimal power use and high efficiency dredging that doesn’t waste any power.
In addition to optimal efficiency, the electric motor drives are used instead of a diesel engine. As a result, air pollution and the risk of fuel spillage during operation is eliminated.
An electric driven dredger is also much quieter than a diesel model. This reduces noise pollution in the surrounding environment. Finally, the electric motors are cleaner and easily maintained compared to combustion engines.
The dredger is in the process of being built in Dredge Yard’s facility in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. It will undergo testing and be delivered in early 2020.
The dredger will be used in WPC Milestone Potash Project Phase 1 Plant. More specifically, it will be placed in the Crystallization Pond and dredge potash from the pond. The dredged potash will then be sent for further processing, drying and compaction.