THUNDER BAY, ON β The ππ²πΉπ³-π½πΏπΌπ½π²πΉπΉπ²π± πππ°ππΆπΌπ» π΅πΌπ½π½π²πΏ π±πΏπ²π±π΄π² Ocean Traverse Nord was in the Welland Canal Sunday afternoon headed for Thunder Bay, ON, for a dredging. This is a very unusual trip for the Groupe Ocean-owned vessel.
Ocean Traverse Nord NORD was built in 2011 and remains the largest dredge of this type ever built in Eastern Canada. After winning a dredging contract, Ocean Industries began constructing this self-propelled trailing suction hopper dredge. It was designed in cooperation with Damen Group and utilizes a specialized Damen trailing-arm suction system capable of clearing ship channels and docks up to a maximum depth of 30 meters. She can unload dredged sand or silt by spraying/piping it directly onto the shore to rebuild eroded coastlines, or by dumping it into deep water. Her split-hull design allows her to operate like a hybrid catamaran during dump mode, The two movable outer hull sections hydraulically tilt upward at a 45-degree angle to open the bottom of the hopper, while the main aft pilothouse remains completely static.
Ocean Traverse Nord in the Welland Canal. [Amy Daggett]
