Multipurpose sweeper vessel joins Port of Newcastle fleet to bolster dredging ops

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Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia - June, 23 2021: Cargo ships unloading in Newcastle Harbour as seen looking out over the Hunter River the main waterway from Newcastle’s foreshore precinct.

Dredging operations at the Port of Newcastle will benefit from a new multipurpose “sweeper” vessel, Lydia.

The bed levelling vessel will work in tandem with the port’s hydrographic survey team and David Allan dredger to provide safe, deep-water access to the port.

Port of Newcastle CEO Craig Carmody said the Lydia will enhance the overall efficiency of current dredging operations, while improving post-flood recovery efforts.

“As the busiest port on Australia’s east coast with more than 4,600 ship movements annually and a gateway for trade worth around AUD$36 billion (USD$25 billion) to the national economy, maintaining safe access is crucial to the port’s operation and so the addition of a multipurpose ‘sweeper’ to compliment the work that is already being done by our survey and dredging team is an important investment for the Port,” Carmody said.

“The Lydia will not only improve day-to-day efficiency of our maintenance dredging, but it will play an important role in flood events like the one experienced recently by limiting the amount of sediment that can accumulate on the channel floor.

“This capability, along with a rapid and pre-emptive response, will reduce the recovery time and impact on shipping movements within the port.”

READ: Green hydrogen hub at Port of Newcastle receives $41 million funding boost

The Lydia is fitted with a 9-metre, 20 tonne sweeping bar, which is attached by hydraulically operated cables and is designed to level out the channel by pushing material from shallow to deeper areas in sections where dredging has occurred.

The bar can be raised or lowered to the required depth and during flood events can be used to ‘churn-up’ sediment to target areas most prone to silt built-up.

The Lydia will be based at Dyke Point and operate five days per week during an initial six-month trial phase.

The Port of Newcastle in November launched an Expression of Interest (EOI) looking for collaborators in the potential operation, or operation and construction of an empty container park in the Mayfield Precinct of the port.

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