With an eye to future expansion, STI’s work will include increasing quay length for bulk cargo vessels for the mineral and agricultural sectors. “Corn and fertilizers, as well as copper and anthracite, are all important exports, and Peru is starting to export a lot more fresh fruit and vegetables – so the container trade is going to grow in the future”, said Tramarsa technical manager William Revilla Valdivia.

“Dredging the port to a good operational depth for continuous accessibility is the main issue. Then we can concentrate on expansion towards a deeper facility,” Valdivia explained. “The new Damen Cutter Suction Dredger (CSD) 450 is our tool to realise this. We had worked with an international dredging company to get the water depth down to -11.5 metres, and maintenance dredging has to be conducted throughout the entire year so, as Tramarsa, we decided to buy our own maintenance dredger and provide Salaverry International Terminal with the necessary tools to perform the job.” The new Damen CSD450 has been adjusted to dredge down to -14 metres.

Tramarsa selected Damen after an international tender, basing its decision on quality and production levels.  The Damen dredger ‘Grumete Arciniega’ has been working in Salaverry port for the last 35 years. The quality of the dredger and the service levels Damen has given over the past decades to keep the dredger running was a key factor in the purchasing process, as was the possible resale of the Damen vessel at some point in the future.

STI was awarded a 30-year contract for delivering port services at the Port of Salaverry, including maintenance dredging to keep the harbour at a suitable depth; operations that are necessary on a regular basis due to the currents along this part of the Peruvian coast that bring a lot of sand into the harbour area. The new CSD has now arrived in Peru and a full crew training programme, courtesy of Damen, is underway.