Deep Prospects

A number of projects requiring large scale dredging including that in the Arctic conditions have been announced in Russia. The participants of the 4th Forum of Dredging Companies discussed different urgent issues of dredging.

This year, the scope of dredging works in water areas and canals of Russia will remain at the level of the previous year. According to preliminary estimates of FSUE Rosmorport it will total 10 – 12 mln cbm. Dredging operations at port Sabetta are to be completed by the end of the year, experts say 6.5 mln cbm of material is to be dredged there. Last year, about 20 mln cbm of material was excavated there.

It should be reminded that maintenance dredging in 2016 was performed mainly on the Volga-Caspian, Kaliningrad, Azov-Don and Taganrog canals. Besides repair works involving dredging were performed in the water areas and at the access canals of Arkhangelsk, Makhachkala, Tuapse, Temryuk, Kavkaz, Yeisk, Shakhtersk, Ust-Luga and Novorossiysk ports.

Deep plans

In 2017, the Azov-Black Sea Basin will see the largest scope of dredging, forecasted Olga Gopkalo, Chief Specialist at Morstroytechnology. When speaking at the 4th International Forum of Dredging Companies organized by Media Group PortNews and held in Moscow on 15 February 2017 Olga Gopkalo provided a review of promising projects on port development requiring dredging works.

According to the estimations of Morstroytechnology expert, some 77,705 cbm of material is to be dredged when implementing the projects announced in the Azov-Black Sea Basin (a terminal of grain and general cargo at port Azov, dry cargo area at Taman seaport, dry bulk terminal in Taman, grain terminal in Taman, reconstruction of a grain terminal in Novorossiysk , coastal infrastructure facilities at the port of Gelendzhik, etc.).

Implementation of projects in the Baltic Basin (International passenger terminal in Pionersky of the Kaliningrad Region, Baltic terminal of Eurochem fertilizers in Ust-Luga of the Leningrad Region, etc.) will mean dredging of 28,823 cbm; in the Arctic Basin (comprehensive development of Murmansk Transport Hub, oil terminal Tanalau, port Belomorsk) – 22,555 cbm.

The scope of works in the Far East Basin is estimated by Morstroytechnology at 21,231 cbm (Sakhatrans LLC terminal, the procedure on port Posiet upgrading, loose cargo transshipment facility in Slavyanka Bay, development of transport hub “Vostochny-Nakhodka”, Phase 3 of Vostochny Port’s coal terminal, etc.).

Morstroytechnology also says the most of projects are up in the air with low or average probability of implementation. The share of projects with high probability is about 20%. Over one third of projects have a low probability.

Legislation improvements

Being a complicated and sophisticated work, dredging inevitably influences the environment and, consequently requires an adequate attention. The challenges of dredging at seaports were covered by Yevgeny Novoseltsev, Deputy Director General of DNIIMF. According to him, there are mainly two of them.

“As of today, any applicant can select a place for disposal of extracted soil on its own. If a dump area complies with environmental requirements and approved by the Fishery Agency, Defence Ministry, Rosmorrechflot and it will undergo and the Federal Environmental Expertise Office, it will be legitimate. However, regional authorities are not involved in selecting and approval of dump areas in coastal waters. So, the issue is fully in the hands of business,” said Yevgeny Novoseltsev adding that this contradicts the environmental principles of business activities.

In his opinion, it is necessary to arrange official underwater dump areas near seaports so that they would be available for all users of natural resources. This work should be performed at the federal level with consideration of all ad hoc authorities including the regional ones.

The other problem is the absence of the possibility to dump contaminated bottom soil from the water areas of seaports. “Excavation and disposal of contaminated soil is a costly activity being not affordable for any berth owner or investor … We see a real possibility to make them cheaper through creation of a “soil management system” based on foreign practices. Our institute and other design organizations are able to perform this task”, said the DNIIMF representative.

It should be noted that dredging has a negative impact, first of all, on aquatic bio resources and their environment. According to Andrei Tsaryov, Deputy Head of FSBI TsUREN (a body of the Fishery Agency), it is necessary to improve the legislation in the part of compensatory measures to be undertaken when performing dredging works.

Andrei Tsaryov told about a new mechanism of compensatory activities developed by the Ministry of Agriculture in cooperation with the Fishery Agency. They have drafted amendments into the Federal Law on Fisheries and Conservation of Aquatic Biological Resources. The amendments will allow for holding compensatory activities by independent businesses on their own and through contracts with fish-breeding organizations. The document also foresees a possibility of financing the authorized organizations for required compensatory activities. The official believes the improvements of the legislation will help not only preserve but also increase the commercial stock of aquatic biological resources.

Meanwhile, compliance with obligations when performing dredging operations in the issue on the agenda at the International Association of Dredging Companies (IADC) which has issued a revised FIDIC contract for dredging operations in Russian language. René Kolman, Secretary General of IADC, handed over the revised FIDIC standards of the contract for dredging operations to Vyacheslav Tyunin, head of Sabetta Project at USK NOST. Vyacheslav Tyunin, in his turn, extended his thanks for the “fundamental work” and expressed his hope for the use of this document in the operations.

Ready to dredge

The presentations of Russian and foreign companies show there is a potential for implementation of Russian projects involving dredging.

When speaking at the Forum, Olivier Marcus, Product Director Dredging at Damen Shipyards Gorinchem, reminded about active involvement of Damen in construction of dredging ships in Russia adding that the Company is going to continue it in the future.

Aleksei Shifman from Dredge Yard (the Netherlands, Turkey, UAE) presented small multi-purpose dredgers featuring flexibility and cost-efficiency of dredging operations (only one crewmember is required). The company also offers larger vessels (Projects CSD450, CSD550), automation systems and other equipment.

Igor Pogorelov, Regional Director General of Mordraga, told about international dredging projects. He presented the SARB project on land reclamation in Abu Dhabi (120 km from the coast).

Hans Bijen, Country Manager for the Russian Federation at Van Oord, presented the “The Sand Motor” project.

Russian companies took an active part in the Forum. Vitaly Sknarin, Sabetta Project Coordinator, USK MOST JSC, told about the dredging operations at port Sabetta which are to be completed in 2017. Kleo Danau, Yan De Nul, who is in charge of works in Sabetta, told about operation in challenging Arctic conditions. Throughout the Forum day, the participants paid much attention to the Photo Exhibition “Sabetta. New Arctic port of Russia” arranged by Yan De Nul and Fertoing.

The Forum programme also included the presentation of a film dedicated to the construction by Sakhatrans of a coal port in the Muchke Bay (Khabarovsk Territory).

Mikhail Chernyayev, Deputy Director General on Designing, Trest Zapsibgidrostroy LLC, told about successful application of pipe pile technology.

Nikita Ananyin, Deputy Director General on Development, MRTS Terminal LLC, told about the interest of the company in dredging at the main fairway of Arkhangelsk seaport to deepen it from 7.5 m to 9.2 m. According to him, MRTS is in negotiations with the regional government, commercial companies and Rosmorport.

Yevgeny Yeryomin, Director General of GTIS (Saint-Petersburg) shared the company’s outlook on the development of domestic dredging industry. He also presented a new Russian product – multi-functional pontoon for dredging and underwater engineering operations. IAA PortNews wrote about this product earlier “We have managed to dredge more than 50,000 cbm of material amid the deficit of hopper barges”, he said.

It should be noted that dredging and hydraulic engineering works in the Russian Federation should be performed not only in seaports but also at inland water ways. Leonid Shurukhin, Chief Engineer at Aquatic, told about designing of the Bagaevsky hydrosystem and the demand for dredging operations.

Russian localization

Sergei Italyantsev, Head of “Sea/river vessels” Programme Directorate, United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), called on local production of dredging fleet and equipment.

When speaking at the Forum, Sergei Italyantsev, told about special steps undertaken towards localization of foreign companies’ manufacture of high-tech dredging equipment in Russia. In particular, he mentioned making of division sheets and the steps to transfer the technologies to Russian shipyards.

According to the USC representative, almost all shipyards of the Corporation are ready to build dredging vessels. “First of all, it is Krasnoye Sormovo shipyard which has built a series of TSHD 1000 vessels. It is also the Khabarovsk shipyard which has an experience in construction of dredgers,” said Sergei Italyantsev. Lotus shipyard was also mentioned among other yards ready to secure orders for construction of dredging vessels.

Stanislav Chui, Director of the Shipbuilding and Marine Facilities Department of Russia’s Ministry of Industry and Trade, emphasized that Russian shipyards are ready to embark on any sophisticated shipbuilding projects including the construction of dredging ships. “85% of shipbuilding facilities have been upgraded by today. We obtain new equipment for renovation of the production facilities and ready to implement the projects of any degree of complexity”, he said at the plenary session of the Forum.

Gennady Yegorov, Director General of Marine Engineering Bureau (MEB), emphasized in his turn the necessity of serial construction of dredgers and dredging equipment. “Without serial construction it is impossible to ensure involvement of foreign partners – to launch local production they, of course, need to see their prospects and revenues,” he said.

The Forum of Dredging Companies which is annually held by IAA PortNews has again served as an international platform for sharing the experience, presentation of new projects and discussion of the topical issues in the industry.  

Source: PortNews