Port of Melbourne Corporation yesterday commenced maintenance dredging as a routine part of port operations to remove a build-up of sediment and clear silt traps in port waters in the Yarra River.
These works will focus principally on port berths including Appleton Dock, Swanson Dock, Yarraville berths and Station Pier.
As part of a 10-year program, the current dredging program will remove around 260,000 cubic meters of sediment over a period of 20 weeks.
Work in the berth pockets will be undertaken using a backhoe dredge called the Storken which has previously worked in the port. The 84-metre long trailer suction hopper dredge, Brisbane, will be in operation for around 6 weeks and clear sediment from silt traps.
All dredged material in the north of the bay will be placed within the Port of Melbourne Dredged Material Ground in the north.
[mappress]
Press Release, February 24, 2014