Following robust development and trials, Harwich Haven Authority is delighted to bring Tiamat, a new and innovative agitation dredging solution to the market. The commercialisation of this leading industry technology will be through a newly incorporated, and wholly owned subsidiary of the Authority, Haven Dredging Ltd.
Tiamat’s technology offers lower maintenance dredging costs and is a cleaner process compared to traditional methods. The technology is adaptable and easy to deploy, meaning it will be suitable for port authorities and harbour engineers around the world.
As a unit, Tiamat can be towed by a relatively small work vessel and consists of a frame carrying two pumps. One pump is used to inject water into the sediment overlying the bed of the harbour, whilst the second pump extracts the diluted silt and pumps it up a flume, from where it is released into the water column. The silt can be relocated either within the estuarine system on a flood tide or washed out of the harbour on an ebb tide through the natural tidal currents.
Tiamat has now been integrated into the Authority’s own dredging programme, in parallel with ongoing research and development. Trials of the machine to date, including independent environmental impact assessments conducted by leading experts in dredging practices, Royal Haskoning and HR Wallingford, and further independent reviews by the Environmental Agency and Natural England. Following each trial and subsequent discussion of the results and impressions of the vessel’s crew, improvements have been made to the machine and to working practice. This vast expanse of knowledge building has allowed for a complete redesign of the Authority’s dredging strategy, which addresses the challenges of economics, ecology, climate change and coastal resilience – and moves to a more nature-based dredging approach: “Dredging with Nature”.
Tiamat will change the world of dredging by providing the following economic, social and environmental benefits:
Sustainable maintenance dredging – Sediment dredged from the seabed or riverbed using a non-invasive method. Tiamat promotes self-replenishment in the estuarian system through the natural re-suspension of sediment at the appropriate height in the water column.
Reduces GHGs emissions – By using the power of nature and eliminating the need for disposal of sediment at sea or onshore, Tiamat can significantly reduce GHGs. Trials in Harwich have shown a 65% reduction.
Reduces the cost of dredging by 40% – A bespoke vessel is not required to complete the work and Tiamat can be adapted to work in conditions traditional methods would be too costly or inaccessible. Tiamat can reduce dredging costs by up to 40%, by needing only the work boat and harnessing the energy of the tide.
Saves valuable time – By not needing to travel to a disposal site multiple times a day, valuable time is saved, as well as reduced fuel costs and emissions.
Chief Executive Officer and Executive Board Director at Harwich Haven Authority, Sarah West, comments, “We are excited to be launching Tiamat after decades of research and field testing that has been put into creating a more efficient method of maintenance dredging. We are committed to working with nature, for nature. We are confident Tiamat will deliver a more sustainable and much more effective method of dredging for port authorities and dredging companies across the globe.”
Chief Finance Officer at Harwich Haven Authority and Executive Director of Haven Dredging Ltd, Jake Storey, adds, “In the long term, Tiamat aims to not only build awareness around environmental issues from traditional dredging methods in the port and dredging community, but also to provide businesses with the opportunity to choose a responsible, sustainable, and economical method of dredging. With the race on to achieve net zero by 2050, incorporating Tiamat into dredging programmes helps support businesses’ carbon reduction programmes.”
Source: Harwich Haven Authority