Final modifications are being made to the Barnstable County’s new $2 million dredging vessel, CapeCod.com reports.
The 14” Bay Dragon dredger, being built by Baltimore based Ellicott Dredge, missed its contracted delivery date due to issues with onboard electronics and hydraulics.
While providing an update to Barnstable County Commissioners recently, Barnstable County Facilities Director, Stephen Tebo, said that the new hydraulic systems are all working and manual overrides were also installed.
According to CapeCod.com, adequate testing of the new dredger, named Sand Shifter, may not be able to be completed until later this month or early in February due to dredging locations being iced over.
The Sand Shifter was frozen in the Bass River last week and the plan is to move it to Provincetown as soon as possible, because that is where the next project is scheduled.
Replacing the Codfish dredger
The Bay Dragon series is a modernized line of Ellicott’s 10-20” portable cutter suction dredgers.
This dredger will be used to maintain small harbors and inlets with beneficial reuse of the sand for beach restoration.
It is a step up from their smaller Ellicott dredger, a Series 670 model named the Codfish, which the Barnstable County has reliably operated for over 20 years.
The county requested several customized features, including an integrated spud carriage, which allows for better positioning and therefore more precise and efficient cutting.