Seafloor Production Tools News

Damen Dredging Equipment is well known for its deliveries of standard dredging components. Usually, deliveries of items such as dredge pumps and dredge valves are for hopper dredgers or cutter suction dredgers. Recent deliveries were for a more exotic use: the Damen dredge pumps and valves have been fitted in remote operated deep sea mining vehicles. These deep sea mining vehicles, also called Seafloor Production Tools (SPTs), have been manufactured by Soil Machine Dynamics (SMD). This UK-based company designed and built three SPTs, each for a specific task.

Toronto, Ontario, April 13, 2011 - Nautilus Minerals’ plan to open a new frontier of seafloor resource production has taken a major step forward, with the formation of a strategic partnership with German shipping company Harren & Partner (“Harren”). A joint venture company (the “Vessel JV”) is to be formed to own and operate a production support vessel which will serve as the operational base for Nautilus to produce high grade copper and gold ore at its first development project, Solwara 1, in the Bismarck Sea of Papua New Guinea (“PNG”).