Argentina: Port of Bahía Blanca Launches New Dredging Campaign

Compañía Sud Americana de Dragados has announced the commencement of maintenance operations on the central channel of the Bahía Blanca port system to ensure the navigability of vessels with drafts of up to 45 feet.

This dredging effort complements the ongoing works conducted by the Belgian company Jan De Nul at Puerto La Plata, aimed at increasing the draft from 28 to 32 feet.

The new phase at the Port of Bahia is currently in progress, with two cutting-edge Jan De Nul dredgers, Pancho (flying the national flag and equipped with water injection for effective operations) and Ortelius (built in accordance with the highest environmental standards of the European Union and the International Maritime Organization), being deployed.

These vessels are fully equipped for navigation and are utilized for maintaining navigable waterways, and deepening channels threatened by sedimentation, among other tasks. In this instance, the targeted waterway spans 97 kilometers in length and 190 meters in width, characterized by constant sediment accumulation necessitating ongoing dredging efforts in both the primary access channel and interior areas.

The last major dredging operation in Bahía Blanca took place in 2013, also conducted by Jan De Nul, proving pivotal for the port’s development. In addition to deep over-dredging, the current campaign includes widening works in the Canal del Toro area by 50 meters to enhance maneuverability and support sedimentation during inter-campaign periods.

These initiatives enable vessels to depart fully loaded for extended durations and accommodate larger ships, thus justifying long-distance freight and enhancing the port’s competitiveness.

Furthermore, the Consortium is considering increasing the depth to 50 feet, prompting studies to evaluate the project, including areas such as Puerto Rosales and Puerto Galván, anticipating the arrival of large oil tankers.

Source: PortalPortuario

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