IHC Mining in South Africa will build and supply an OTTer 250 dredger for Guerrini Marine Construction in Cape Town, South Africa. This dredger will be used to execute the highly anticipated dredging works in the sensitive Zeekoevlei Nature Reserve area.
Zeekoevlei is a 250-ha water body located half an hour’s drive from Cape Town in the south-western corner of the densely urbanised Cape Flats. Zeekoevlei was proclaimed a local authority nature reserve in June 2000 and is one of the youngest conservation areas in Cape Town. Zeekoevlei is unique in being a fully urban nature reserve where much of its boundary is openly shared with 136 private homeowners.
The dredging volumes to be removed are approximately 364,000 m3 of organic sludge and fines, which currently negatively impact waste water treatment for the municipality. Dredging is due to commence in May 2025.
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OTTer dredger
The OTTer dredger was selected because of the minimal environmental impact it has on the reserve’s flora & fauna, while cost-effectively meeting the production demand over the project duration. The operating methodology employed by the OTTer dredger additionally offers the least impact to the local Yacht Club operations and its members.
The OTTer is a compact modular dredger that is easy to maintain and deploy, utilising Royal IHC’s submersible OTTer Pump range. It is mainly used to dredge medium sand, silt and gravel and smaller dredging projects, such as ponds, tailings, dams, rivers, canals and small harbours.
Working with local dredging contractors
This project award is the result of close collaboration between IHC Mining and the municipality. Guerrini Marine Construction’s CEO, Adrian Guerrini comments: ‘We are excited to work with IHC Mining on this project. And a successful execution of the dredging works will mean the release of similar dredging scopes in the region.’
‘IHC Mining is always very keen to work with local dredging contractors, in order to increase innovation, expertise and the overall profile in operational sustainability that is often misunderstood,’ adds Luan de Jager, IHC Mining’s General Manager South Africa. ‘We look forward to helping both Guerrini Marine Construction and the City of Cape Town to continue to make a valuable and responsible impact.’
Picture by Royal IHC.
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