Royal IHC successfully upgrades PETRUS PLANCIUS for Jan De Nul

Jan De Nul has recently put its suction dredger, PETRUS PLANCIUS, back into operation after a successful conversion into an environmental dredger. IHC Services was asked to design the technical solution to operate the dredger with either a cutter or silt suction head. The IHC Beaver 1600, built in 2008, needed to be adjusted for a challenging environmental dredging project in the port of Oskarshamn in Sweden. It was vital that the dredger would be able to dredge the contaminated silt in the harbour with high density and low spillage, the company said in its press release.

The dredging equipment and hydraulic system of the dredger needed to be modified for the project. Jan De Nul required its self-designed innovative silt suction head to replace the existing cutter head and drive. IHC designed the adjustments to the hydraulic system, and delivered a submerged dredge pump (TT30-250). The pump was adapted for mounting in the existing suction pipe on the cutter ladder of the PETRUS PLANCIUS. In addition, IHC supplied the necessary components and project documentation, and supervised the installation and commissioning. After the successful commissioning of the dredger, IHC Services also delivered a spare parts package for the new equipment.

The conversion and commissioning of the dredger was completed in Dubai before it was transported to Sweden. Work commenced in Sweden in late 2016 and, after three months of operation, the dredger has proved to work very well in silt suction mode – to great satisfaction of both Jan De Nul and IHC.