Dredging of a shipping channel to a depth of 15.5/16 m

Klaipėda State Seaport Authority and the Central Project Management Agency have signed a financing agreement for the project “Dredging of the outer shipping channel (up to 16.0 m deep) and deepening of the inner shipping channel (up to 15.5 m deep) in the new direction of the Klaipėda State Seaport,” project No 06.1.1-TID-V-505-01-0003.

The total value of the project is €73.9 million. The project has been allocated €28.0 million from the European Union Cohesion Fund. An additional EUR 27 million was provided by a contract dated 25.07.2023 with the Central Project Management Agency. Total EU funding is €55 million. EUR 9.9 million was financed by the state budget. The rest was financed by the Port Authority.

The aim of the project is to improve maritime traffic conditions in Klaipėda State Seaport by reducing the existing constraints of the Klaipėda State Seaport’s access infrastructure (the shipping channel) and reducing the cost of freight transport (travel time) and air pollution, and by increasing the safety of vessel traffic.

The objectives of the project are: 1) to reduce the constraints of the port access infrastructure and its impact on the movement of vessels over 13.4 m draught in the port area; 2) to reduce the impact of wave action on the movement of vessels over 250 m draught in the port area, thus reducing the constraints on navigation and increasing maritime safety.

The project aims to increase freight and passenger mobility by improving the corridors of the European Union’s trans-European transport network core network and their connections to the national and local transport network, and by developing the efficiency of interaction between different transport modes.

The Klaipėda State Seaport Authority (hereinafter referred to as the KVJUD) provides public services in the operation of the Klaipėda State Seaport and in the management of the state-owned objects located in the port. KVJUD performs the functions provided for in the Law of the Republic of Lithuania on the Klaipėda State Seaport in order to increase the added value for the State by proper operation and development of the port infrastructure and carries out other activities in order to meet the public interest. The navigation channel of the Port of Klaipėda up to PK(21) (picket 21) is capable of accommodating vessels with a maximum draught of 13,8 m, and from PK(21) onwards it is capable of accommodating vessels with a maximum draught not exceeding 13,4 m. The existing parameters of the navigation channel do not allow for an efficient use of the capacity of vessels with higher draught, i.e. these vessels cannot be fully loaded. Due to the technical characteristics of the entrance channel, in winds of more than 11 m/s, vessels over 250 m in length are restricted from entering the port. Increasing the depth of the shipping channel from PK(-22) to PK(-5) to 16.0 m and from PK(-5) to PK(83+66.4) (up to Malkai Bay) to 15.5 m will allow full loading of vessels with draughts of up to 14.3 m in this section of the shipping channel. More efficient use of vessel capacity (transporting the same amount of cargo with fewer vessels) will reduce the intensity of shipping and its negative impact on the environment (CO2 emissions), as well as the time needed to transport the cargo. The reorientation of the port entrance channel will reduce the restrictions on vessels over 250 m in length, allowing them to enter the port at wind speeds of up to 14 m/s, thus reducing the downtime of such vessels, as well as the time needed for transporting cargo and the emissions (air pollution) of these vessels.

Phase I of the project. Dredging works in the inner navigation channel(s) from PK(21) to PK(83+66.4) to a depth of 15.0 m. The dredging was carried out by Rohde Nielsen A/S. The dredging technical supervision and FIDIC engineering services were provided by West Region Construction Consultancy Bureau.

Phase II of the project. Dredging of the new directional outer shipping channel from PK(-22) to PK(-5) to a depth of 16.0 m, dredging of the shipping channel from PK(-5) to PK(83+66.4) to a depth of 15.5 m and construction of the guide lines.

Dredging.

Outer navigation channel. The dredging works for the project ‘Dredging (to -16,00 m and -15,50 m) and widening of the outer and inner shipping channel of the Klaipėda State Seaport, from KP (-22) to KP (26)’ were carried out by Jan de Nul N.V., acting under a joint venture agreement with Baggerwerken Decloedt en Zoon N.V. The dredging works were carried out by UAB Pastatų diagnostika ir statyba (Building Diagnostics and Construction), providing technical supervision and FIDIC engineering services.

Inner shipping channel. The dredging works for the project ‘Dredging (up to 15,5 m) and widening of the inner shipping channel of the Klaipėda State Seaport from PK(26) to PK(85)’ were performed by Van Oord Dredging and Marine Contractors B.V. The dredging works were carried out by JSC Kiwa Inspecta, which provided technical supervision and FIDIC engineering services. The project has achieved one of the monitoring indicators foreseen in the project financing agreement, i.e. a design depth of 15.5 m. The dredging project was supervised by JSC Sweco Lietuva.

Vedline towers. The contract works for the project “Construction project of the Klaipėda Inlet Vedline Towers, Burių g. 19 and Naujoji Uosto g. 23, Klaipėda” were carried out by JSC Tilsta. The supervision of the construction project was carried out by JSC Mutuus. The construction maintenance services were provided by JSC Kiwa Inspecta. The project has achieved one of the monitoring indicators foreseen in the project financing agreement, namely the construction of 2 guide towers.

Underwater embankment.

To replenish the Melnrage beach with sand, the Port Authority, as part of the channel dredging project, created an underwater sand berm near the most eroded beaches. The waves subsequently pushed the sand onto the beaches and dunes, contributing to the regeneration of the coastline. The dredged material, if usable, was not transported further out to sea, as is usual, but was used to replenish the beaches, with rain currents carrying the sand closer to the shore and forming an underwater sand bar.

Although the Port Authority had previous experience in beach replenishment projects, this was the first time that sand was poured so close to the shore (120 m). This allowed the formation of an underwater sand berm at a very shallow depth of 2 to 3.5 m, which is essential for the sand to reach the shore effectively.

The beach restoration initiative, which is an integral part of the dredging project, is in itself a good example of the synergy between port development and environmental objectives. It shows that two seemingly disparate objectives – port development and environmental protection – can be achieved together.