Self-Propelled Hopper Barge
The self-propelled grab hopper dredger is basically a ship which has another dredging crane and mounted around a receiving hopper. It is mobile and easily moved from side to side within its power capacity and capability where it also transports the dredged material to the disposal areas.
The size of this type of dredger is expressed in terms of the hoppers’ capacity; it ranges from 100 to about 2,500 m3. Smaller vessels have a single crane but some of the larger crafts have up to four.
The output of work depends on the number of cranes and sizes of grab. It also relies on the depth ofwater; and in the case of self-propelled hopper barge, the variations of grab and crane and the distance of the disposal site, matters.
Grab dredges are usually held in its working position by anchors and moorings, but a few are lifted with a spud or pile which can be dropped onto the bottom while the dredger operates.
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