A new state-of-the-art 'Trailer Suction Hopper Dredger' (TSHD) joined the fleet of Karachi Port Trust (KPT) on Tuesday, and has been named 'Abul'. The dredger, procured by the KPT at a cost of 50.73 million euros from Netherlands. The journey from Netherlands took 23 days, Business Recorder learnt at a reception organised by KPT.
The dredger was built in twenty months by IHC Holland Dredgers BV, Rotterdam which is a sister concern of IHC Holland Merwede BV. The dredger 'Abul' will enable KPT to further deepen the approach channel through capital dredging, Vice Admiral Ahmed Hayat, Chairman KPT, told newsmen.
The work capacity of the new dredger is 9 million cubic metres per annum, whereas the present requirement of maintenance dredging at Karachi Port is 2.5 million cubic metres, he said. Immediate use of 'Abul' would be maintenance and capital dredging of the channel besides deepening the oil piers and berths at Karachi and Bin Qasim ports.
It is a medium size vessel, meant to ensure a 100 percent saving for KPT in terms of contract dredging, as foreign firms charge Rs 600 for per cubic metre dredging, while 'Abul' should do the same job for Rs 250-300, the chairman said. He said that dredging of deep draught berths, deep water container terminal and cargo village would be started immediately.
The dredger is equipped with the latest invention 'Wild Dragon Drag Heads', which has in-built cutting teethe and water jet nozzles delivering more than 3,600 cubic metres per hours, and is capable of easily dislodging the hard compacted soil.
The dredger is 104.40 metres long and 20 metres wide. It has hopper capacity of 6,000 cubic metres and two in-built jet pump motors of 550 kilowatts and 110 jet nozzles.
Its main engine comprises two Wartsila engines of 3,100 kilowatts, two generators of 350 kilowatts and one generator of 82 kilowatts. It works under Beaufort scale 6 and high wave conditions where the wind speed is 22 to 27 knot.
The twin screw propulsion enables it to move in a speed of 13.5 knot. It can dredge easily at a depth of 20 metres and remove sand and silt from the seabed and discharge ashore through 10 bottom doors in 77 minutes. With its addition the KPT fleet consists of five crafts--TSHD Mehmood-ul-Hasan, CSD Karamat, BHD Ali, BD Aftab and the newly inducted TSHD ABUL.
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