Navalrocha Shipyard Completes Dredger Repair for Jan De Nul

Portugal’s Navalrocha Shipyard announced it has completed a multimillion-dollar repair project for Luxembourg-based company Jan De Nul Group as it targets growth across the Benelux dredging sector.

The cluster-contract involving repair work to two split hopper barges and one trailing suction hopper dredger - Tiger, De Bougainville, and Le Guerrier - was finalized at the end of November 2022. Key elements of the project involved complex heavy-lift operations, to replace 40-tonne hydraulic cylinders, plus ballast water treatment system (BWTS) installations. Broader work included 33-tonnes of steel renewal, along with piping, mechanical and electrical repairs, combined with blasting, painting and tank cleaning.

Navalrocha has supported Jan De Nul since 2012 delivering multiple ship repair projects including work on split hopper barges, L’Etoile and Boussole. The yard’s continued expansion across the Benelux region, home to several of the world’s largest dredging operators, is being supported by its longest serving agent and local partner, Wilcamar & Co, based in Rotterdam.

Recent work to Jan De Nul’s split hopper barge, Tiger, took place in Dock 1 at Navalrocha between August and September, involving steel and piping renewal, along with mechanical and electrical work. Further attention was given to blasting, painting and tank cleaning. Watertight seals were also refitted to secure interconnecting hulls, along with a BWTS.

Later in September, Le Guerrier docked for extensive steel renewal, along with mechanical and piping work. A critical phase of the project involved the removal and replacement of two 40-tonne hydraulic cylinders, positioned in the two half-hulls allowing the vessel to split over its longitudinal axis and discharge cargo. A specialist 500-tonne capacity heavy-lift crane was used to maneuver the hydraulic cylinders quayside. The vessel was later blasted and partly treated with silicon paint.

The final project involving De Bougainville was delivered pier-side, including a range of steel and piping work, plus repairs to mechanical components and electrical motors, combined with tank cleaning and surface treatment work.