Jan De Nul Group has commissioned a new spray pontoon built by shipbuilder Motas. The pontoon will mainly be used for land reclamation projects, according to the company's release.
The pontoon represents an investment in Jan De Nul Group's fleet of auxiliary vessels. With it, the company ensures that projects such as land reclamation and protection against coastal erosion are fully customised.
Jan De Nul Group worked with shipbuilder Motas for the design, after which Motas undertook the construction of the spray pontoon. The shipbuilder considered the high technical requirements for DN178 where efficiency and precision were key requirements.
DN178 can work flawlessly with the latest generation of jumbo trailing suction hopper dredgers.
A first adaptation compared to the older generation of spray pontoons is the addition of movable spray pipes. Thanks to their adjustable height, these nozzles cause less cloud formation when spraying sand and allow sand layers to be placed more precisely.
Furthermore, the spray pontoon is equipped with stronger winches and improved anchorage, allowing it to work on a larger area as well as place the delivered sand quicker. This allows DN178 to cooperate with the latest generation of jumbo trailing suction hopper dredgers, such as Christóbal Colón and Leiv Eriksson. Innovative automations such as pontoon steering support this cooperation.