Ordered in 2014, the HONDARRA dredger (meaning “sand” in Basque) was commissioned in September 2015 and has since then enabled the Bayonne & Basque Country Chamber of Commerce & Industry, operator of the Port of Bayonne, to maintain access to the sea and trenches without having to use outside resources. Built by the Spanish shipyard, Astilleros de Murueta, it was specifically designed for the Port of Bayonne.
The HONDARRA drag
It measures 62.3 m long by 13.40 metres wide, with 4.6 m draft. Its specially adapted size enables it to use the dry dock for technical stops.
To satisfy the Port of Bayonne’s dredging needs, this vessel uses two techniques to extract sediment: a stinger at the river mouth (guarding trench/channel), inside channels as far as the Grenet Bridge, including the Saint Bernard approach area and turning basin, and a bucket crane to dredge the trenches in the port’s different berths.
It is an essential tool for the local area. The Hondarra dredger helps limit coastal erosion by pilling over 95% of sand dredged at the river mouth by the beaches. Over the last two years, 100% of sand has been pilled in the coastal area.