Ihc Systems News

The trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) Bonny River built at Royal IHC’s Chinese partner yard COSCO Guangdong Shipyard was recently delivered to the Belgian dredging company DEME. The TSHD features a number of advance technologies, and is driven by controllable pitch propellers and transverse thrusters from Schottel. With a 15,000 cbm capacity, the vessel is capable of dredging hard soil and able to work in water depths of more than 100 m.“The design of the Bonny River is inspired by a drive to continuously innovate from an ecological and efficiency perspective…

The inauguration of an IHC dredging simulator was held at Transnet’s Maritime School of Excellence in Durban, South Africa on Friday 2 September. The launch marked the start of a new dredge training programme to develop and enhance the knowledge and skills of local dredging personnel. employed in these sectors. The delivery of a training simulator by IHC is part of the supplier development plan that IHC and Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), one of five operation divisions of Transnet, agreed on prior to the delivery of trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) ILEMBE in 2016. The aim is to improve the local industry in South Africa by setting up a dredging school, outsourcing parts to local suppliers and using the local supply chain for life-cycle support of the vessel.

Africa’s first ever dredging simulator was launched in the port city of Durban, South Africa – another positive spin-off of ongoing collaboration between Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), the Transnet Maritime School of Excellence (MSoE), Netherlands based Royal IHC and its world-renowned Training Institute. The high-tech simulator – based at the MSoE’s Langeberg Road premises – will aid in building dredging capability in South Africa. Dredging is specialized underwater excavation that helps to keep ports and harbours safe and navigable and is a critical aspect of port development.

IHC Merwede announced that it has appointed Bram Roelse as the company’s new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) with immediate effect as of April 1, 2014. He has taken over this leading role within the company from predecessor Dirk Philips who stepped back in November 2013. Roelse has worked at IHC Merwede for the past 13 years. He was originally appointed as the Managing Director of the company’s business unit IHC Systems. At the end of 2004, he moved to the company’s shipyard at Kinderdijk, where he became Director of the Dredging division.

As a global market leader in dredging and mining vessels and equipment, and a reliable supplier of custom-built ships and supplies for offshore construction, IHC Merwede will be among the leading exhibitors at the Europort 2011 exhibition and CEDA Dredging Days technical forum in The Netherlands. The Europort event is one of the world’s largest maritime exhibitions and will take place in the heart of the Port of Rotterdam on 8-11 November. The show focuses on all areas of the shipbuilding industry, from naval and dredging, to fishing and offshore, and attracts more than 800 exhibitors and 30,000 visitors biennially to Ahoy Rotterdam.

Imtech N.V., a technical service provider in Europe, has been commissioned by the Jan De Nul Groep and the wharf Schelde Marine Bouw to automate a number of dredgers and naval vessels. The Imtech Marine & Offshore division acquired the orders, worth a total of $15 million. Commissioned by the Jan De Nul Groep, Imtech is responsible for the on-board integrated dredging automation and instrumentation, navigation and communications for two 11,300 m³ Trailing Suction Hopper Dredgers. Both dredgers are being built at the IZAR wharf in Bilbao, Spain. The UniMACS® navigation technology (integrated navigation, propulsion, alarm, monitoring, control and communications) patented by Imtech will be installed on these ships.