China Harbor Engineering Company started dredging at maritime approach channel to Ukrainean port of Chornomorsk
The implementation of another major infrastructure project of Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority (USPA) started on August 8, 2018 in Chornomorsk seaport (Odessa region). USPA says Chinese company China Harbor Engineering Company Ltd. (CHEC) embarked on a dredging on the maritime approach channel to the port and in the operating water area of the 1st bucket of the Dry Estuary.
Dredging in Chornomorsk seaport will increase its competitiveness in the Black Sea basin, create conditions for the approach of large-capacityvessels with a draft of up to 14.5 m Capesize, deadweight up to 100 thousand tons and containerships with a capacity of 8 thousand TEU for existing and planned deepwater berths.
«Large-scale dredging in Chornomorsk seaport is another stage in the implementation of USPA strategy for the development of Ukrainian ports. Our task is to create all necessary conditions for the effective work of all market participants – private and state stevedoring companies – to increase the flow of goods and expand the participation of Ukrainian ports in international transport corridors. Chornomorsk has an important role in the implementation of these plans," – said the head of USPA, Raivis Veckagans. According to him, development strategy of the port, in addition to dredging, provides for the reconstruction of the berthing front with increasing depths at its borders. We are talking about the reconstruction of berths No. 1–2, 11–17 with an increase in design depths of up to 15 m.
Implementation of the project, developed by the basic institute of the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine „ChernomorNIIProject“, provides for not only deepening, but also expanding the approach channel. To date, the length of the channel is 1400 m, the width is 150 m and the depth is 14.5 m. After reconstruction, its parameters will be increased: length — up to 1600 m, depth — up to 16 m. In turn, dredging of the water area of the 1st bucket of the Dry Estuary will allow to reach a depth in its central part up to 15 m.
The total amount of dredging in Chornomorsk port will be about 2 million cubic meters. More than 500 thousand cubic meters of soil will be raised on the approach channel, in the water area – almost 1.5 million cubic meters. Estimated duration of work on projects is from 2 to 5 months.
The cost of implementing projects – 404.1 million UAH without VAT. Of these, 87.1 million UAH without VAT will be directed to dredging of the channel, and 317 million UAH without VAT – water area.
For dredging in Chornomorsk, CHEC mobilized a dredging fleet consisting of 15 vessels. All of them have already arrived in the water area of the port.
As previously reported, CHEC was selected for dredging operations in the port of Chornomorsk as a result of open tenders in the electronic public procurement system ProZorro. The procedure consisted of two lots, an auction for each was held on March 13, 2018.
The largest world dredging companies took part in the competition: China Harbor Engineering Company Ltd. (China), LTD Novadeal (Belgium), Jan De Nul n.v. (Netherlands), Van Oord Dredgingand Marine BV (Netherlands). CHEC offered the lowest cost of work. Savings amounted to 40 millionUAH or 10% of the expected value.
To recall that in May 2017, according to the results of the tender, two contracts were signed between USPA and CHEC for dredging in Yuzhny port. The work under the first contract was completed ahead of schedule for three months, the second – already completed 70% of the work.