PRICES 2022 | Best Mining Dredger – Lucky Star 168 – HID Dredger
The Chinese Shandong Haohai Dredging Equipment, operating under the brand name HID, built this ultramodern tin dredging machine for an Indonesian owner. Perhaps unusually, the dredger will operate on the open sea rather than on more normal calm inland waters.
The vessel is designed for efficiency, safety, reliability and, given the climate in which she will operate, considerable air-conditioned comfort.
“The vessel integrates advanced dredging and mineral processing technologies,” said HID Dredger Baird maritime. “Key features include compact size, high degree of automation, strong data acquisition, stable hull and suitability for offshore waters.”
The dredger can also be used for a wide variety of applications, as the equipment can also mine other ore powders that are similar in density to tin ore. The vessel combines the various functions of extraction, screening, washing and packaging, providing the operator with a centralized processing platform.
“The ship is also fully equipped in terms of crew accommodation, seawater desalination, sewage treatment and equipment for navigation and communications.”
The builder said the shape of the bridge structure was first implemented to ensure deep excavation and major excavation. The hull structure, bridge strength, bridge-to-hull connection and shock absorption were all new designs, which presented a number of challenges. Due to good coordination with design institutes and other parties, the bottlenecks have been successfully resolved and three patents have even been obtained.
“Current shipbuilding is affected by the stricter regulations imposed by the IMO,” added HID Dredger. “We therefore see a growing focus on alternative fuels, energy-efficient ship designs and even technologies such as exhaust gas cleaning systems. We are also witnessing the increasing adoption of digital technologies including digital twin simulations, augmented reality, robotics and autonomous systems to improve productivity, efficiency and safety.”
The builder added that other key industry trends include green technologies, advanced manufacturing techniques and cybersecurity. These have led to the development and introduction of hybrid propulsion, heat recovery systems, energy management systems, 3D printing and more robust cybersecurity measures. These trends reflect the industry’s focus on environmental sustainability, efficiency and technological advancements in shipbuilding processes and ship performance.
“We continued to build on our product portfolio in 2022,” said HID Dredger Baird maritime. “We have developed advanced marine dredging equipment to meet the changing needs of our customers. This required an investment of substantial resources in R&D, collaboration with industry experts and the use of advanced technologies to improve the performance, efficiency and sustainability of our dredgers.”
Some of the concrete steps taken to achieve these goals included the construction of a new 8,000 square meter production facility, the integration of state-of-the-art machinery and adherence to stricter quality control measures. This resulted in an increase in production capacity, while ensuring fast deliveries and maintaining high production standards.
“We also spent the past year expanding our global market presence by strengthening existing partnerships and forging new ones with customers in a variety of industries. Our dredgers have been successfully deployed worldwide in a variety of projects including port and harbor maintenance, land reclamation, mining and environmental remediation.”
In particular, the dredgers built by the company are completed in accordance with international standards and have been exported to numerous countries including the UAE, Egypt and the Philippines. The company has also obtained relevant certifications and accreditations to validate the reliability, safety and environmental sustainability of its products. After sales service is also available with a dedicated team ready to support customers requiring technical assistance, spare parts and maintenance.
“We are very optimistic about the future. With our extensive experience and global reach, we believe there is ample growth opportunity in the dredging industry.”
HID Dredger described the future of the dredging industry as marked by significant progress and trends. These include minimizing environmental impact through sediment management and ecosystem conservation, integrating digital tools for efficient project planning, execution and monitoring, introducing automated and autonomous dredging systems for improved efficiency and safety, and increasing the number of coastal protection projects to ensure resilience to sea level rise and storms. There will also be more cooperation between dredging companies, governments and environmental organizations for knowledge sharing and innovation.
“These trends demonstrate the industry’s commitment to sustainability, efficiency and adaptation to environmental challenges, in recognition of its critical role in future waterway and coastal maintenance,” the company added.
According to HID Dredger, China’s workboat industry has experienced significant growth and development in recent years.
“As the world’s largest workboat market,” the company said Baird maritime, “China has shifted its focus from scale growth to structural optimization, value enhancement and ‘green’ and low-carbon technology development. HID will therefore continue to focus on maintaining high quality by applying scientific and technological innovation and strengthening research efforts to improve core competitiveness.”
The company believes that at the same time it is necessary to strengthen cooperation with international shipyards and actively participate in the formulation and promotion of international standards as a means of contributing to the development of China’s work boat industry.
Click here for a list of the 2022 “Best Of” award winners.
