View Printable Version
Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. January 12, 2006: Dredging Supply Company, Inc. (DSC) of Reserve, Louisiana, the world’s leading designer and manufacturer of cutter suction dredges, is proud to announce the commissioning and start-up of a new 24” X 24” Shark Class dredge for the Royal Family in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The dredge will be operated by PAL Technology, one of many companies owned and operated by the Royal Family and will work on projects in the area developing artificial islands, deepening canals and land reclamation. The workload for this dredge is enormous; it is expected to be booked for projects through 2018. This is the first DSC dredge to be delivered to the U.A.E. and expands DSC’s impressive worldwide market penetration.
The Shark Class dredge was designed by DSC’s engineering staff to meet stringent American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) Offshore Rules. The dredge was built in record time at DSC’s modern manufacturing facility located in Reserve, Louisiana. This unit features the latest American technology and is the largest and most powerful dredge ever delivered to this area by a US dredge manufacturer in the last 10 years.
Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Presidential Affairs hosted the dredge commissioning ceremony that was covered by the local television and press. Members of the Royal Family and the US Embassy as well as other potential customers attended the lavish ceremony. Martin Quinn, Deputy Chief of Mission, Christian Reed, Counselor for Commercial Affairs and Alex Khochaflan, Senior Commercial Specialist, from the US Embassy and over 50 VIPs from Dubai and Abu Dhabi enjoyed the renowned hospitality shown by their host. The event was held at the Sheikh’s private island that is currently under development. A huge VIP receiving tent was erected at the end of the shoreline, at the cove where the dredge was located. The tent was complete with murals on the walls, Persian carpets covering the ground and crystal chandlers hanging from the ceiling. Charlie Sinunu, International Sales Director for DSC, provided the VIP’s with a tour of the dredge while Eddie Cicardo, DSC Field Service Engineer, was at the controls to demonstrate the power of this state-of-the-art machine. On Charlie’s signal, Eddie unleashed the power of the dredge pump and within 1 minute had over 22,500 GPM of shells, sand, gravel and rocks up to 10” size flying out of the stern of the dredge. “WOW, that is impressive; American quality and technology at work”, exclaimed Quinn. A smiling Sheikh Mansour told Sinunu, “We are very pleased; you have exceeded our expectations”.
Special Technical features:
This PLC operated dredge was delivered with the following special features:
The 24” X 24” Metso dredge pump is powered by a 16-cylinder Caterpillar 3516 diesel engine rated 2000 Hp while the hydraulic system is powered by a 12-cylinder Caterpillar 3412 diesel engine. Both Caterpillar engines are the latest E models which feature computer controls and the best fuel efficiency in the industry. The computer chip on the diesel engines communicates with the PLC that operates the dredge. If the dredge PLC determines that it does not need all the power being delivered by the engine, it will have the engine throttle back, which saves wear and tear on the engine and reduces fuel consumption.
The United Arab Emirates is one of most modern and richest countries in the world, but it also has a very hostile environment. The summer air temperatures in Abu Dhabi may range up to 131 degrees F with 30% humidity during the day and up to 89 degrees F with 100% humidity at night. The salt water of the Persian Gulf can have a temperature of up to 106 degrees F in shallow areas. DSC was asked to manufacture the Shark dredge with special cooling features so the unit could work around the clock under these harsh conditions. DSC engineers customized a special cooling system for the Caterpillar engines using titanium plates. The special DSC design was reviewed and approved by Caterpillar’s engineers at their headquarters in Peoria, Illinois. This approval was necessary in order to keep the Caterpillar one-year warranty in effect. The control room is outfitted with four (4) heavy-duty air conditioners for operator comfort. The diesel engines, dredge pump and hydraulic system are installed in the spacious center pontoon that is outfitted with special fans and blowers to keep a comfortable working temperature for the dredge crew.
The DSC control system features an expandable programmable logic controller (PLC) and touch screen controls that provides the dredge operator with a simple, ergonomic, and user-friendly interface to efficiently operate the dredge. The system is designed with rugged solid-state circuits to provide reliable, trouble-free operation. This unique system also features onboard dredge diagnostics to tell the operator if there are any problems and most importantly, how to correct them.
The standard dredge control system has safety measures to protect against pump engagement and disengagement at high speeds and it locks out all hydraulic functions during start-up and control activation. The system also has alarms for any malfunction and keeps alarmed conditions, along with the time and date in memory for review. The control system records and displays the operating hours of all major dredge systems including engines, dredge pump, cutter and all winches. This data is useful for servicing and managing dredge utilization. The dredge crew and company management are provided with information they can use to maximize dredge efficiency, reduce cost of operation and increase profits.
DSC market dominance
Bob Wetta, DSC VP for Marketing and Sales is very pleased with the continued expansion of international customers. “Our international sales figures have been doubling every year and we are grateful to our loyal customers who continue to be our best form of advertising”. DSC was fortunate that Hurricane Katrina did not damage any of the DSC facilities and production at the factory is at a record high. Twelve dredges are currently under construction for customers worldwide. One unit is a multi-pump, 20” Marlin Class dredge for Nigeria that features 25m digging depth capability. DSC has built more submersible pump, deep digging dredges than all other manufacturer worldwide!
US Exim Bank approval
The US Exim Bank is very familiar and comfortable with the financial stability and quality of equipment from DSC. The US Exim Bank has been eager to approve loans for DSC customers to purchase new dredges. A new 20” Shark Class dredge shipped October 2005 to Nigeria, which was financed by M&T Bank in Baltimore using the US Exim Bank loan guarantee program. M&T Bank is one of the leading banks using the US Exim Bank programs and was recently awarded the President’s E-Award for Excellence in Exports. David Cooke, Managing Director Trade Finance Group for M&T stated, “DSC has proven to be a first-class, reliable provider of high-quality dredging equipment. Our experience in emerging markets has shown that quality and reliability of both product and service are essential to building a loyal customer base”. In addition to the recent financing of the 20” Shark dredge for Nigeria, DSC is working with M&T Bank and US Exim Bank on several other transactions for 20” and 24” Shark dredges and expect these to close shortly.