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Sat November 02 2024

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World’s biggest backhoe dredger at work in Aberdeen

1 Sep 20 Van Oord’s Goliath, the world’s largest backhoe dredger, is in Aberdeen working on the South Harbour expansion.

Goliath at Aberdeen South Harbour
Goliath at Aberdeen South Harbour

Aberdeen Harbour Board has awarded a pair of contracts, together worth £20m, to Dutch maritime contractor Van Oord for rock removal and revetment work.

The contracts will see the completion of profile work for the South Harbour basin and add protection to sections of the shore in time for the coming winter.

Part of the work will be carried out using the Goliath backhoe dredger, launched by Van Oord in 2009.

The 5,000hp Goliath with Backacter 1100 excavator can be equipped with a 40 m³ bucket and work at a dredging depth of up to 30 metres (when fitted with 23.8m boom and 15.5m stick).

Aberdeen Harbour Board chief executive Michelle Handforth said: “We are pleased to announce the award of these contracts to Van Oord, which has been heavily involved in the South Harbour expansion project for several years.”

She added: “Work on site has made considerable progress despite the challenges faced by the Covid-19 pandemic, with 70% of construction work completed. It is an amazing sight to see one of the world’s largest dredgers working on our project, and I am looking forward to seeing the rest of the harbour quickly taking shape.”

Van Oord project manager Joost van Duinen said: “The expansion of Aberdeen Harbour is a significant project for Scotland, and we are proud to continue our involvement, having been part of the project since 2017.  We look forward to working towards the completion of the expansion, utilising our world-class equipment, international experience and marine ingenuity.”

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MPU

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