Dutch dredging firm Van Oord has successfully completed a dredging program for Darwin Harbour, Australia, in support of the forthcoming Ichthys LNG project.
Utilising the cutter suction dredger 'Athena', trailer suction hoppers, and a towed plough, Van Oord dredged approximately 15 million cubic metres of mainly hard rock and soil in what was described as "the most technically challenging section of the Darwin Harbour dredging program".
Completing the work over a period of eight months, Van Oord adopted an alternative technique to remove the tough rock from Walker Shoal, located near Darwin's East Arm Wharf.
According to Ichthys project manager INPEX, Van Oord's approach avoided the need for additional drilling and blasting project phases.
The project will allow vessels to safely enter the harbour as they transit to and from Ichthys' onshore LNG processing plant, which will be located at Blaydin Point.
To date, no environmental impacts from the dredging and disposal works have been identified by the project's scientific environmental monitoring program, INPEX concluded.
