Innovative low emission dredging

Niedersachsen Ports

In order to ensure the accessibility of ports and efficient handling of goods, a minimum depth for navigability must be guaranteed. At Niedersachsen Ports this is done through regular port maintenance with the help of dredgers. In the port of Emden, the so-called recirculation process is used to maintain the minimum depth. The silt is passively supplied with oxygen, which stimulates natural processes that keep the silt in suspension for a long period and delay settling. The liquefied silt, which is kept in suspension, can be passed through by ships. But how can the maintenance be optimized in the future? What are the options for more productive dredging? How can automation technologies help save costs? And how can CO2 emissions be avoided in water maintenance? The project AMISIA deals with these questions.

The aim of the project is to make maintenance dredging in the port of Emden more productive and environmentally friendly using innovative technologies and automated systems. For this purpose, a dredger is being developed in combination with a future-proof dredging concept. The use of digitalized navigation and automated systems promise safe operations in the port. With the dredger designed in AMISIA, the profitability of port maintenance is to be sustainably strengthened through extensive automation. The concept also provides an alternative propulsion to make maintenance less CO2 in the future