Energy and Pollution Concerns in Dredging

Dredging equipment in the United States should be augmented for a more versatile dredging fleet by the addition of the mechanical bucket ladder dredge for channel work. The addition of the bucket ladder dredge is especially desired in view of the relatively new concerns of energy conservation and pollution abatement. From these concerns, the former is well defined but the latter is not. In most cases, both concerns oppose each other and interfere with the conventional concept of economy. The new concerns are expected to shift the conventional concept of economy toward efficiency in terms of amount of bottom density material dredged, transported, and deposited per unit of fuel. This shift is expected to be accompanied by a change in emphasis from maximum solid flow rate toward maximum effluent density. Bucket ladder dredges are inherently well suited to satisfy the new concerns, especially at long transport distances.