DREDGING
DREDGING UNCOVERS MEDIEVAL WATERMILL The remains of a 14th century watermill complex have been discovered at Blenheim UK
Archaeologists found the remains of the watermill complex ahead of major dredging work being undertaken to Queen Pool by wet civil engineering firm Land & Water. “We are delighted to hear the discovery of some historic findings ahead of the dredge. The project site has been carefully monitored and assessed by Archaeologists so that any significant artefacts can be recorded and protected,” said Charlie Oakes, project manager at Land & Water. “Wessex Archaeology have informed us that the remains found this year comprise part of the stone-lined mill race, directing water from the mill and are surprisingly wellpreserved and substantial. They have also discovered stone water channels, which would have been part of a medieval mill site, recorded as being demolished in 1334 and which was partly excavated in the mid-1970s.” Restoration works The stone structures were uncovered at the UNESCO World Heritage Site by Wessex Archaeology prior to work commencing to ensure no historical remains were affected. It’s believed the watermill is associated with Woodstock Palace, a royal hunting lodge that played host to no fewer than 16 British monarchs over its 700-year history with everyone from Ethelred the Unready to Henry VIII having spent time there. Demolished in 1720 to make way for Blenheim Palace, it was also the birthplace of the Black Prince and used as a temporary prison for Queen Elizabeth I, who is said to have carved ‘Much suspected by me, nothing proved can be, Quoth Elizabeth prisoner’ on a window sill.
The restoration works will see Land & Water perform the first dredge of Queen’s Pool in over 100 years. The firm will look to remove 300,000 cubic metres of silt, enough to fill Wembley Stadium, to return the Capability Brown-designed lake to its original depth of two metres from its current shallow 30cm.
8 Archaeologists found the remains of the watermill complex ahead of major dredging work being undertaken to Queen Pool
New auto systems for hybrid dredger Work to install comprehensive electrical and automation systems on board an innovative diesel-electric hybrid trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) has completed. The Krakesandt TSHD specialises in sand and gravel extraction at sea and is the focus of Alewijnse’s second advanced dredging project undertaken at Thecla Bodewes Shipyards for its client, De Hoop Terneuzen. The first was for Krakesandt’s sister vessel, Anchorage. Once again, Alewijnse was responsible for the design, building, installation and commissioning of the switchboards, consoles and the dedicated alarm, monitoring and control systems. It also undertook the design, engineering, supply and commissioning of the dredging automation system, including visualisation, monitoring and process control.
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“The Krakesandt has been a beautiful and innovative project,” said Emiel Mocking, manager newbuilding at Thecla Bodewes Shipyards. “She is the second hopper dredger of this type to be delivered successfully and on time in a period when the global supply chain is facing many challenges.”
The 105.90 metre Krakesandt, named after a sandbank off the coast of Cadzand in the Netherlands, is entirely Dutch-built. It has a single suction arm and storage capacity of 3000m³. In addition to enabling smart power management, the use of electric propulsion is said to increase propeller efficiency, reducing fuel consumption and emissions. Barkmeijer Shipyards, part of Thecla Bodewes, has collaborated with Alewijnse to develop a smart, integrated bus-driven system, meaning the crew can be reduced to just seven or eight. Several other automation systems are also on board, including an alarm and monitoring system and bridge operating system. Also being fitted is a dredge control system, ship system control, draught and loading system and suction tube system.
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