Within the exceptional short delivery time of just 4.5 months, Damen Shipyards Group has been able to deliver a customized Multi Cat 2409 for port and fairway maintenance at the Guinean Port of Kamsar.
Cooperation between Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinée (CBG) and Damen, overcoming covid restrictions in the process, has led to the outfitting of the vessel for a multitude of operations in the West-African port.
Damen will bring the new vessel to Guinea on its own keel, departing from the Hardinxveld yard in The Netherlands at the end of April for a journey of about four weeks. GBG will take delivery of the vessel and name her Lamine Camara.
The vessel is equipped with two cranes. On the fore deck an exceptionally powerful crane is installed that can lift a weight of more than 18 tonnes at a range of 7m, while a second crane on the aft deck can lift more than 4.5 tonnes at a range of more then 5m.
This is key equipment for lifting and laying buoys that mark the harbour entrance. CBG is responsible for port maintenance as the single largest user of the Port of Kamsar.
Maintenance of the buoys that guide bauxite ore carriers to and from the Port of Kamsar is crucial, especially in the rainy season with its limited visibility.
Shallow waters with sand banks that move with tidal and river flows in the mouth of the Nunez river require careful navigation for which clearly laid out fairways marked with buoys are essential.
Train tracks go from this port to the ore mines inland, bauxite is shipped from here to aluminium producers round the world.
