Suction dredger successfully removes 2M cubic meters of sediments at Itajaí Port

Since the HAM 316 suction dredger arrived in Itajaí in the second half of November, its performance has been meticulously and punctually recorded every day.

Crucial for the collection and removal of solid materials, the vessel operates 24/7, continually dredging along the access channel to the Port Complex of Itajaí-Açu River – both upstream and downstream – and also in the areas of the Turning Basins I (in front of the ports of Itajaí and Navegantes) and II (Afonso Wippel Bay – Saco da Fazenda).

Flying the Panamanian flag, the HAM 316 dredger was manufactured in the Netherlands in 1998 with a gross tonnage of 9,865 tons and dimensions of 128.46 meters in length by 22 meters in width. Its cargo storage capacity is 11,409 kilograms.

In addition to ensuring the safety of the entry and exit of larger ships in the Port Complex, it also has the emergency purpose of restoring the canal’s depth to up to 14 meters. Furthermore, it serves the crucial function of reducing the impacts of floods, allowing the significant flow of rainwater from the Itajaí Valley to dissipate. Over the last three months, the municipality of Itajaí, as well as neighboring cities in the AMFRI region and other regions of the state of Santa Catarina, have experienced various flooding and inundation points, causing significant losses for residents.

The HAM 316 dredger collects sediments, loads them into its tank, and within a 5-mile radius, equivalent to 10 kilometers from the complex’s access channel exit, the waste is deposited at a location designated by environmental authorities as a disposal area (dumping ground), being released into the open sea.

The Port of Itajaí Superintendence, as the Port Authority, closely monitors and rigorously supervises all aspects of maintenance dredging operations, including water quality monitoring, sediment material monitoring, environmental supervision of dredging works, artisanal fishing monitoring, waste management, among other programs, which are carried out by a specialized and professional team hired by the University of Vale do Itajaí (Univali).

According to the contracted company, 374 cycles (round trips) were completed in this dredging campaign, with each cycle presenting 5,950 cubic meters collected based on tank density. This totals 2,217,820 cubic meters removed, with an estimated annual figure of up to 4 million cubic meters to be dredged.

Currently, the canal has an average width of 190 meters and a depth of about 14 meters. The Hooper dredger (HAM 316), a suction type, arrived in November to replace the Dutch dredger Lelystad and operates daily in parallel with the NJORD dredger, which injects powerful water jets into the riverbed, causing sediments to be carried away with the current.

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