Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) is enhancing its dredging capabilities with the installation of a new marine excavator on the Italeni, a Grab Hopper Dredger. This upgrade will help maintain the required depth of port berths, basins, and entrance channels, ensuring safe vessel navigation in South Africa's ports.
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A marine excavator is a specialised technological machinery that is used to improve dredging operations while ensuring safe and sustainable practises of marine and coastal environments.
The installation of this cutting-edge technology will boost dredging volumes and increase efficiency at South Africa’s commercial seaports.
With an investment value of R76m, the newly installed excavator is designed to grab dredged material weighing up to 2,000kg at a radius of at least 20 meters. The upgrade will enable the Italeni to efficiently handle dredged volumes of 150,000 cubic meters (m³), a significant increase from its annual capacity of 94,000 m³.
Strategic upgrade to meet growing demand
The upgrade replaces the excavator fitted in 2014 that has reached its operational lifespan. This feature bolsters berth availability to meet the increasing demand of larger vessels calling into South African ports.
"The Italeni upgrade enables TNPA’s strategic intent of creating a smart port system through harnessing innovation and technology. Coupled with enhancing the dredger’s capability to dredge the ports to the required depth, the new marine excavator will ensure that our waterside infrastructure remains competitive by improving TNPA’s customer service offering," said Phyllis Difeto acting TNPA chief executive.
Italeni is the only dredging vessel in South Africa capable of accessing confined berths and quay walls, which distinguishes the craft from the rest of TNPA’s dredging fleet, which is necessary for maintenance work.
