Damen has delivered two electrically powered booster stations to the German dredging contractor Johann Bunte Bauunternehmung GmbH &Co. KG, according to the company's release.
The zero emission high efficiency drive of the boosters marks an important step in the energy transition, going from diesel to green power. Both boosters will start on their first project in Niedersachsen, Germany in August. The identical boosters have been designed and built by DAMEN Dredging Equipment (DDE).
The containerised unit houses the DAMEN dredge pump, which is driven by a 1,095 kW Siemens electro motor, through a gear box. In a separate space the frequency drive and switch board are located. The booster stations receive their power via a local 690 V AC power cable. They can be operated from the dredge using remote control, including automatic control of the multiple dredge pumps. Each booster has the size of a 30’ container for practical relocation. Both E-boosters have been tested extensively at the DAMEN Dredging yard in Nijkerk, the Netherlands.
During these tests, Joppe Neijens, DAMEN sales manager said, “It is quite remarkable how silent these boosters are compared to the diesel driven ones. That and the fact that they can be powered from the grid make them extremely well suited for dredging jobs in sensitive environments.”
The customer, Johann Bunte Bauunternehmung GmbH &Co. KG, is a well-known German family- owned contractor with a large portfolio in dredging and construction projects.
The spokesman of the Management Board, Mr Frank Schreiber, says, “Our investment in the Elektrobooster is part of our corporate strategy as an element of our sustainability concept. Efficiency, environmental protection and resource conservation are very important for a modern construction company like Bunte. The boosters will be named Pirate XII and Pirate XIII to follow our company tradition.”
A Niedersachsen motorway project will be the maiden job for the silent boosters. They will work behind the stationary dredger Pirate II, and will pump 1.2 Mio. m³ sand over a distance of 7.6 kilometres through a nature reserve to the new A26 motorway near Hamburg. The electric boosters represent just one element of Damen’s own strategy to become the most sustainable shipbuilder in the world. The company has developed a number of solutions for improved environmental efficiency, including a fully electric cutter suction dredger, capable of zero emission dredging projects. These electrical booster stations are a welcome addition to the DAMEN portfolio and the extensive Bunte dredging fleet.
Damen Shipyards Group has been in operation for over ninety years and offers maritime solutions worldwide, through design, construction, conversion and repair of ships and ship components. DAMEN operates 35 shipyards and 20 other companies in 20 countries, supported by a worldwide sales and service network. Damen Shipyards Group offers direct employment to more than 12,000 people.