Prolec has recently supplied its Digmaster Pro system to the German Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration during an upgrade of its workboat fleet.
The German inland waterway network stretches for around 7300 km. Larger rivers have been canalised, allowing large ships to navigate them. Not surprisingly then, the network is crucial for the German economy – not only is it well-used by tourists and holiday makers, but more than half of it is of considerable importance to international freight transport.
The network of waterways is managed by the German Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration. The office is made up of seven regional shipping directorates responsible for maintaining the rivers, canals, locks and seaward approaches, and managing shipping traffic.
The Federal Waterways office is currently upgrading its workboat fleet. In August last year, the clamshell dredger Elsflether Sand was brought into service in the WSA Bremen district, to be used in the management of the river Weser. This craft is a replacement for older, decommissioned vessels, and is intended to increase the efficiency of the waterways’ working cycles. This particular boat was built in Denmark where it was equipped with a permanently fixed Hitachi Zaxis 470 LCH supplied by Kiesel Baumaschinen Nord. It has a total reach of 17 metres and is being predominantly used for dredging.
In order to meet its working requirements, the boat was fitted with a Prolec Digmaster Pro depth monitoring and guidance system by German distributor Illig Lasersysteme. The system uses fully submersible angle sensor technology to allow the operator to dig out only the necessary material to bring the waterway back to the required depth for all tidal situations.
The ship’s system is also configured to enable the construction of works such as breakwaters or laying sealing material in shipping channels within preset parameters.
Prolec Sales Manager for Scandinavia, Central and Easterm Europe, Jurgen Reineke , says,” We are pleased to be helping the German Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration find ways to work more efficiently and accurately in their dredging and marine construction work. Our Digmaster Pro system has been designed to meet the requirements of this specialised application, and is proving effective in this environment .”
The Elsflether Sand is now one of four new vessels supplied to the German Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration using this Prolec system. The others are based in Emden, Dresden and Berlin.
Jurgen Reineke says, “ We’re looking forward to a continued relationship where we can work together with this forward thinking organisation, using our tools to increase productivity in a dredging application and, by association, help to keep the German waterways running smoothly .”
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Press Release, January 8, 2013