DCI Dredger XX dedicated to the Nation

'DCI Dredger XX dedicated to the Nation by Honble Minister of Shipping Thiru G.K.Vasan

The second in the series of three dredgers join the DCI fleet and the third one by the initial months of 2014

Visakhapatnam,July 26: DCI Dredge XX, a latest second trailer suction hopper dredger (TSHD) of the Dredging Corporation of India Limited (DCIL), was dedicated to the nation on Friday i.e.26^th July 2013 at Chennai Port Trust.

At a ceremony organised at the Chennai Port, Hon`ble Minister of Shipping, Govt of India Thiru.G.K. Vasan dedicated the dredger that was procured at a cost of Rs. 528 crores from IHC Merwede, Netherlands, in the presence of Shri.M.C.Jauhari, Joint  Secretary (Shipping), Capt. D. K. Mohanty, Chairman and Managing Director, DCI,  Shir Atulya Misra, Chairman, Chennai Port Trust, and Shri. M. A. Bhaskarachar, Chairman and Managing Director, Ennore Port and Shri B.Poiyaamozhi, Development Advisor (Ports).

DCI directors – Shri P.V.Ramana Murthy, Director(Finance), Cmde.P.Jayapal, Director (operations & technical), Shri S.Balachandran, Independent Director, Dr.Narasimha Rao, Independent Director also participated in the glittering function. The function was attended by other senior officials from Ministry, Chennai Port Trust and Ennore Port.

Briefing the Media after the dedication ceremony, Thiru. G.K.Vasan said "DCI has placed order for three dredgers after he took over after a gap of almost ten years. He stated it hoped that with the addition of these dredgers DCI and further addition of two more higher capacity 9000 Cu.M hopper capacity dredgers  DCI will be able to  cater almost 100% of the dredging requirements in the country.”

The first in the series of three DCI THDS dredgers DCI Dredger XIX joined in the fleet of DCI on 22nd December 2012 last year. Third dredger of  the latest class would join the DCI fleet by  Feb 2014 ,he stated.

Elaborating on the new dredgers, Capt. D.K.Mohanty stated that  these are state of dredgers with most modern technology and would help in a long way in improving the efficiency of the Company.

The DCI Dredger XX vessel is of steel construction, with an overall length of 114 m, breadth 21.3 m and depth 7.5 m, with a gross tonnage of 6970.

The dredging depth is approximately 25 m, with a hopper capacity of 5,500 cu.m.   

 Dredge XX has a manoeuvring speed of 14.1 knots to operate in strong currents and has the capacity of delivering high productivity, reliability and effective dredging operation as well as low power consumption and operational cost.

It is fully equipped to deliver all kinds of marine services like maintenance dredging, shore pumping, rain bowing, beach nourishment and land reclamation. The vessel will be deployed amongst others for the maintenance and dredging projects on the Indian coast. DCI Dredge XX is specially designed for this task taking into account the typical Indian topography of the sea bed soil, along with the strong currents at shallow depths. It is expected that the DCI Dredge XX will have a high productivity, reliability and efficiency capabilities, as well as low power consumption and operational costs.

At present, DCI dredgers are engaged in Kolkata, Paradip, Ennore, Kandla  and Kochin Ports.  Besides the major ports and non-major ports, DCI also carries out dredging works for Indian Navy and shipyards.

About DCI

The Dredging Corporation of India Limited (DCI) was established in 1976 to provide dredging services to the major ports of India. The Corporation is a pioneer organization in the field of dredging and maritime development. It is fully equipped to offer the complete range of dredging and allied services to users in India and abroad and to provide vital inputs for national development. Its head office is strategically situated on the east coast of India at Visakhapatnam.

The DCI helps to ensure continuous availability of the desired depths in the shipping channels of the major and non-major ports, Indian Navy, fishing harbours and other maritime organizations. It further serves the nation in a variety of ways, be it capital dredging for creation of new harbours, deepening of existing harbours or maintenance dredging for the upkeep of the required depths at various ports along the 7,500-km coastline of India.

The Corporation owns most modern and sophisticated fleet consisting of 11 Trailer Suction Dredgers, three Cutter Suction Dredgers and one Back hoe dredger. It has also has placed an order for the procurement of three Trailer Suction hopper dredgers.The DCI is the only dredging company in the public sector.