In an interesting move in Europe, Cemex is using a marine aggregate dredger which it says will extract sand and gravel from the seabed.
The Cemex Go Innovation is the first of Damen’s new Marine Aggregate Dredger class, a 103.5 metre MAD 3500. It is designed to extract aggregates from the sea bed up to depths of 55 metres, including in the challenging conditions experienced in the North Sea, the company adds.
Mark Darren Williams, fleet engineering manager for Cemex: “For Cemex UK Marine, its management and personnel, today is a milestone in our company history. This new ship represents a significant investment and the first new vessel both in the Cemex fleet and that of the UK aggregate industry in over 20 years. Today we convert a lot of hard work, technical drawings, calculations, ideas, energetic discussions and exchange of point-of-views, into a physical floating object, by the highly skilled women and men of Galati and Mangalia.”
The Cemex Go Innovation has been developed to offer environmental savings while ensuring safety. It is expected to have a 25% increased capacity, nearly double the dredging depth and discharge rate increase of 20%. Further design features include optimal balance between payload and efficiency, overall length of 103.5 metres, a deadweight of just under 7,000 tonnes and a maximum loaded speed of approximately 12 knots.
Following its launch, the Cemex Go Innovation will complete its fitting out with commissioning due to begin at the end of the year, and delivery expected in the early spring of 2020.
