DOP200 used for unloading hopper dredger

In New Zealand, a DOP pump has been used to empty a hopper dredger, and replenish a local beach. The 850 m³ hopper dredger New Era dredged the sand locally. The sand cargo was brought near the Te Rauone beach. There, a DOP200 submersible dredge pump fitted out with a leveller head was used to pump the sand cargo over a sinker pipe line over some 400 m to the shore.

The DOP dredge pump performance exceeded the expectations of the local crew. The DOP pumped some 400 m³ of solids in just over an hour. In total 28.000 m³ of sand was relocated in 26 working days. Due to the flow rates being higher than expected, the project was completed earlier than planned – finished well on time before the start of the sea lion breeding season.

The DOP200 sand pump was handled by a deck crane of the backhoe dredge Takutai. This crane manouvered the DOP and its hoses within the hopper of the New Era which had pulled alongside. The DOP’s hydraulic drive was powered by the hydraulic power pack of a Liebherr P984C excavator which was set up to accommodate the DOP”s specific requirements.