MBPT acquires new dredger

MUMBAI, June 20: The Mumbai Port Trust today acquired its first grab hopper dredger built by the Mazagon Docks Ltd. MBPT Chairman Sharad Kale was the chief guest at the handing over function of the dredger `Vivek’ held at the passenger jetty at the Ferry Wharf on Friday morning.

The keel of the dredger was laid exactly a year ago and the hulll was launched on February 7 at MDL.“Dredgers ensure that we can maintain proper draught (depth) for vessels entering Mumbai port,” Kale told Express Newsline. He said that the dredger which was purchased for Rs 35 crore was multi-functional.

It was capable of removing the silt using suction, grabbing and could also transport the silt or transfer it on another barge. The dredger is equipped with two grab cranes and a trailing suction pipe capable of dredging up to a depth of 20 metres. It is 64.6 metres long and displaces 1340 tonnes and has a crew of 35.