Posted on February 13, 2025
Damen Shipyards Group has recently delivered a Damen CSD 350 Cutter Suction Dredger to Guyana Port Inc. (GPI). The stationary dredger is second hand, and the purchase was brokered by Damen and delivered to the site with a comprehensive start-up package including floating pipelines, spare parts, commissioning and training. The final milestone of the commissioning underscores Damen’s commitment to being a one-stop shop for all maritime needs, from design and construction to brokerage, transportation, training and field service assistance.
After finalising its initial dredge project, the modular dredger was ready for its next assignment. Damen Trading delivered it to GPI, which is dedicated to advancing Guyana’s maritime infrastructure and supporting the nation’s economic growth through port expansion.
The cutter suction dredger will remove build-up sediment from the key shipping channels in the Demerara River, increasing navigational depths ensuring safe and efficient vessel traffic. In addition, the CSD 350 will be deepening key areas of the port of Georgetown itself, so as to meet international standards and allow further shore based facilities to be developed. This capability will be crucial for accommodating larger ships and facilitating increased trade activities that contribute much to the economic growth of the country.
The CSD 350 is the first dredger for GPI. Bram van der Plas, Damen Sales Manager, explains: “Guyana Port Inc. is becoming an important part of the new regional maritime hub. Trade and therefore vessel traffic have grown rapidly recently, following the expanding oil and gas industry. Damen is a long-standing partner of GPI and the addition of a dredger to its assets will ensure that Guyana is well prepared for future demands on its port infrastructure”.
Damen field service engineers have commissioned the cutter suction dredger on site and trained the crew. The CSD 350, which has been named Mud Shredder, has now started its second lease of life contributing to Guyana’s economic boost. Given the rate of growth of the country, it is hoped that this will be the first of many Damen dredgers that will contribute to the growth of the land of many waters!
