Van Oord Dredging
Hydraulic engineering and dredging activities
Dredging and hydraulic engineering are our core competencies, which we have perfected since our company was founded. We demonstrate these skills through know-how, experience and ingenuity. We apply this knowledge in various worldwide and complex hydraulic engineering projects. Examples of these projects include the construction of the Palm Jumeirah island in Dubai, the dredging of the second Suez Canal in Egypt and the Maasvlakte 2 port extension in Rotterdam. However, we have also managed a number of projects in Germany, such as the construction of the Emstunnel near Leer or the expansion of Container Terminal III and IV in Bremerhaven.
Through the successful execution of such projects, we have built a reputation as one of the world's leading dredging and hydraulic engineering companies. In realizing our global ambitions in dredging and marine infrastructure, we are constantly pushing the boundaries of technology. One of our innovative methods is the water injection process, which is particularly environmentally friendly and cost-efficient. We are also a very active member of the "Building with Nature" program and we work closely with international experts to solve environmental problems.
Our activities in the field of hydraulic engineering and dredging cover the following areas of activity:
Ports and waterways
Due to the growing volume of trade worldwide and increasing globalization, ships are also getting bigger and longer quays and wider and deeper port approaches are necessary.
Land reclamation
The steadily rising population is causing an increasing migration movement from the inland regions to the coastal areas. In response to population growth, coastal cities and ports need to expand towards the sea. We make this expansion possible by creating additional coastal living space. We do this by extracting sand from the high seas and then distributing it along the coast. On these newly created strips of land or islands, housing and nature reserves or tourism facilities, port facilities and other industrial areas can be built.
Coastal protection
With our headquarters in the Netherlands, a country that lies below sea level, we have a wealth of experience in coastal protection. We build coastal protection installations such as dikes, revetments and breakwaters or provide the necessary coastal protection through beach and foreshore nourishment. Van Oord develops and implements customized solutions. We are specialists in the precise application of sinking pieces, both on a small and large scale and in water depths of up to 30 meters.
Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger (TSHD)
A suction hopper dredger is equipped with powerful pumps and motors that enable it to suck up sand, clay, mud and gravel from sea or river beds. One or two suction pipes lead from the ship to the bottom of the water. At the end of these pipes is a suction head, which is lowered to just above the seabed to suck up the material. The dredged material is typically collected in the ship's own hold, while the water is discharged separately, outside the ship.
Water Injection Dredgers (WID)
Backhoe Dredger (BHD)
- The water is too shallow for the use of a hold suction dredge.
- Shallow water increases the quantities when using a cutterhead suction dredger because the trench must be wider, making the equipment choice uneconomical. However, it also depends on the type of soil. Therefore, in cases where the cutter suction dredger can achieve high production, it can be a cheaper alternative, even though it dredges more material
- The ground is too hard or too stiff for excavation with a suction excavator.
- Boulders above a certain size cannot be excavated with cutter suction dredgers due to the cutting edge (opening size between the wings), the same applies to Loading space suction excavator, due to the opening between the blades of the pump impeller or the grille installed in the suction head. This can be influenced by blasting, which creates smaller boulders. However, blasting is quite expensive and is therefore rarely used. Larger boulders are best dredged with a stilt pontoon excavator.
Cutter Suction Dredger (CSD)
All cutter suction dredgers are equipped with a rotating cutting head that can cut hard soil or rock into small pieces. The cutting head is a rotating mechanical device that is mounted in front of the suction head and rotates along the axis of the suction pipe. The cut soil is then sucked up by excavator pumps.
Cutter suction dredgers cut the soil according to a preset profile. The cutting action of a cutter suction dredger is powerful and, in combination with the suction effect, the material can be "cut" into suitably sized pieces. The dredged material is then pumped ashore using pumps and a floating pipeline or loaded into a split hopper ship moored alongside, which can then unload the dredged material at a predetermined location.
