Two months following its launch in Izmir, Turkey, the cutter suction dredger “Meltem Izmir” is successfully helping to clean up the gulf that skirts around this thriving metropolitan city.
The dredger, which belongs to Izmir’s Metropolitan Municipality, was supplied following an international tender awarded to the local shipyard Gozuyilmaz Marine & Engineering Ltd, which constructed the dredger in close conjunction with the Italian dredger builder, Italdraghe SpA.
This SGT 500C CSD features a Cummins KTA38M2 main engine (970 kw at 1,800 rpm) and an Iveco C13 auxiliary engine (367kw at 2,000 rpm).
Italdraghe was responsible for supplying not only the complete dredger design but also all of the key engine room components which were shipped to Turkey skid-mounted ready for installation. Italdraghe also provided directly from its shipyard in Italy the spud-raising jacks, swing and ladder winches, cutter head and all the ready-wired operator cabin control panels in addition to a complete set of spare parts.
The local building of the dredger pontoons, derrick and spuds and cabin took place at Gozuyilmaz’s Izmir yard under the regular supervision of Italdraghe technicians and beneath the watchful eye of Turkish Lloyd which was responsible for vessel classification.
Following successful onsite trials and commissioning, during which the measured dredger production exceeded client expectations, one month of hands-on training was provided to local dredger operators by an experienced Italdraghe dredgemaster.
The city’s Mayor, Mr. Aziz Kocaoglu, has all along been one of the key driving forces behind the multi-million dollar Great Gulf Project, whose aim is to first clean, and then keep clean, the seabed of the busy commercial port of Izmir. The “Metem Izmir” dredger is set to play a leading role in this environmental project which was launched with the intention to return the Gulf to its glory days of several decades ago when the water in the bay was still blue.
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Press Release, September 20, 2012