Van Oord is going to deepen and widen the access channel to the port of Klaipeda in Lithuania. The contract is worth approximately EUR 40 million and is being financed partly by the European Union. The client is the Klaipeda port authority and the project will be executed in 2011-2012.
The project involves the deepening of the access channel to -14.5 metres along a stretch of almost 6 kilometres. The channel will also be widened by 30 metres from 120 to 150 metres. A total of 4.5 million m3 of soil will be removed. Van Oord is deploying a large backhoe dredger and some split hopper dredgers.
The project is by far the largest contract in terms of value and volume for the port of Klaipeda and will contribute to the economic development and safety of the port. In the future, the port will be accessible to post-Panamax vessels (with a length of 300 metres and a width of 40 metres).
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Source: vanoord, October 19, 2011