SLPA enters contract agreement with IHC for state-of-the-art Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger

Monday, 24 November 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) entered into a Contract Agreement with IHC Holland BV of The Netherlands to procure a 4,000 cubic metre capacity Trailing Suction Hopper dredger this month.

The exchange of contract agreements between SLPA Chairman Dr. Priyath B. Wickrama and IHC Holland BV Area Director Kees Derks, while SLPA Managing Director Capt. Nihal Keppetipola, Dutch Ambassador to Sri Lanka Louis W.M. Piet, HIS Dredging and Mining Product Manager Ir. Oscar ten Heggeler and Product Director – IHC Mervede B.V. Division Dredging W.A.C. (Wouter) Blass look on The agreement was endorsed by Chairman Dr. Priyath B.Wickrama and Managing Director Capt. Nihal Keppetipola on behalf of SLPA and Area Director Kees Derks on behalf of IHC Holland BV. Dutch Ambassador to Sri Lanka Louis W.M. Piet graced the occasion marking the long standing relationship between the two countries as well as IHC and SLPA. The SLPA already has two dredgers built by IHC and this third dredger with enhanced dredging depth of 30 m can be used for harbour dredging, capital dredging as well as sand mining. The 4,000 cubic metre THSD will belong to the latest series of IHC hopper dredger ‘Beagle 4’ family and will be equipped with Diesel Electric Propulsion System. The dredger will be equipped with advanced dredging technology available in the world today – remote assistance fault diagnostics and other innovative features. The THSD will be classed by Lloyd’s Register, UK for the notation + 100Al, +LMC, Hopper Dredger, UMS, GMDSS Area A3. SLPA was represented at the occasion by Janaka Kurukulasurya – Additional Managing Director, Shirani Wanniarachchi – Director (Finance), Datta Gunasekara – Director (Technical), Major General Sanath Gamini Karunarathne – Director (Security), D.Upali De Zoysa – Director (Operations), P.M.S. Somarathne – Chief Engineer (Civil), Aparna Thilakarathne – Chief Law Officer whilst Sumal Perera – Chairman/CEO, Christopher Joshua – Jt. Managing Director and Anuruddha Hikkaduwage – General Manager – Port and Aviation Division represented the Access International Ltd.