Cutter suction dredger shipped from Kochi

Kochi: In the first such initiative, a huge Cutter Suction dredger (CSD) indigenously built in the state was on Tuesday shipped out of the Kochi Port to Indonesia. The dredger, which costs nearly Rs 2.5 crore, was built by Kottayam-based ‘Agritex’ at its factory in the New Industrial Development Area, Kanjikode, Palakkad. “This is the first time a locally-made dredger is being exported though such equipment are frequently imported from countries like China and Holland,” a senior Customs Official said.

“The floating machine that can dredge upto a depth of 12 meters is bought by Singapore-based AlphaTech1 PTE Ltd, for deployment at its work site at Makkasar, Indonesia. It took us over two years to complete the work since it’s our first such venture,” said Kuriakose Philip, Managing Director, Agritex. The export will mark the country entering the league of dredger exporting nations led by China. “The CSD has a capacity to dredge out a minimum 400 cubic meter of solids and can discharge the material in the form of slurry upto a distance of 1.5 kms,” Philip said.

Cutter Suction dredgers are non-propelled floating pontoons capable of dredging out the sand silt and other materials and discharge the same to designated areas through pipes. The dredger was dismantled into seven parts to facilitate shipping. A German vessel ‘BI Melody’ will deliver it at Indonesia in 15 days. “Once it’s unloads the parts will be assembled before deploying the dredger,” he said.