The Lesse pumping sand ashore in Dunkerque
First stop has been Dunkerque in France where its owner, dredging company Baggerbedrijf de Boer (internationally also known as Dutch Dredging) from The Netherlands, has scheduled it to carry out a series of different dredging jobs.
At first, a beach replenishment was carried out at what is locally known as 'Digue des Alliés'.
For this project, the Lesse has dredged some 40,000 m3 of sand at sea, which it subsequently pumped ashore onto the beach.
This activity has been carried out for the account of Communauté Urbaine de Dunkerque (CUD).
CUD is an organisation that was created in 1968, it groups all the communities along France's most northern coastline, known as 'Côte d'Opale'.
After having completed its tasks in Dunkerque, the Lesse went to The Netherlands where it first carried out dredging activities in the port of Delfzijl and subsequently in the southern province of Zeeland.
The Lesse has been built in 2019 under the responsibility of Royal IHC at the shipyard of MTG Dolphin in Varna (Bulgaria).
Sources:
The Lesse and the Lotus in the 'Avant Port Ouest'
After the completion of this first job, the Lesse was put at work for the account of the Port of Dunkerque, for which it carried out three different activities.
These consisted of the dredging and the shore delivery of sand, maintenance dredging in the western part of the port, i.e. the 'Avant Port Ouest', and the dredging of contaminated material which is to be pumped ashore into a dedicated and confined disposal facility.
The delivery of sand comprised an amount of 90,000 m3 that had to pumped ashore into a stock facility of the Port, which uses it for various infrastructure developments in the port area.
For the maintenance dredging, the Lesse has teamed up with Baggerbedrijf de Boer's powerful plough dredger Lotus.
It's design and concept are similar to that of the Albatros and Mahury, two hopper dredger that Royal IHC has built earlier for Baggerbedrijf de Boer and that were delivered in 2013 and 2015 respectively.
The Lesse though, is with its 2,300 m3 hopper capacity almost 25% bigger than the other two, which feature a hopper with a capacity of approx. 1,860 m3.
Based on the success of this series of dredgers, the Dutch dredging company has decided to order a fourth unit, again with Royal IHC.
This vessel, also with a hopper capacity of 2,300 m3, is currently being built at the shipyard of Nam Trieu in Vietnam.
With respect to the environment and sustainability, this new dredger will meet the latest standards of IMO Tier III and Euro Stage V.
On 19 October 2024, the steel cutting ceremony of the Magdalena, as this new dredger will be named, took place.
Its delivery and commissioning is scheduled for 2026.
- Baggerbedrijf De Boer - Dutch Dredging
- Communauté Urbaine de Dunkerque (CUD)