The Port of Waterford is to have a maintenance dredging campaign start in the week beginning 13 November, with the work to be carried out at three locations along Waterford estuary, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The Cypriot flagged dredger Freeway, will conduct dredging activities in the vicinity of Belview which is the port’s main terminal and at nearby Cheekpoint and further downriver on the Waterford Estuary at Duncannon Bar, close to the Passage-East ferry service.

Disposal of the dredged spoil by the 4,500m³ capacity trailing suction hopper dredger will according to the port take place at an approved site south west of Hook Head, out in the open sea.

Following the completion of dredging, a bed levelling campaign will be carried out by the multi-cat vessel Fastnet Sound which is operated by Fastnet Shipping based in Bilberry, Waterford City.

The vessels will maintain a continuous VHF watch on Channels 14 & 16, and will display regulation shapes and lights as per I.R.P.C.S. All vessels approaching the area of operations should communicate with the vessels on Channel 14 and proceed with caution.

It is expected that the dredging maintenance campaign is to take approximately 25 days to complete and that mariners are reminded of their responsibilities under the International Collision Regulations.

The dredging work has been contracted to Irish Dredging based in Cork which is a subsidiary of Boskalis, a leading global dredging and offshore contractor and maritime services provider.

For more than 50 years Irish Dredging has carried out such work and marine projects and have access to technological support and dredgers for the most part, based in Ireland or the UK, potentially minimising response times and mobilisation costs.

Currently, Afloat has tracked the Freeway which is working off the UK south coast with operations at Portsmouth. 

In addition, Irish Dredging has the use of the Royal Boskalis Westminster fleet of vessels, giving the capability to undertake a wide range of projects.