Problem Solved at one of Victoria’s Biggest Fishing Ports

Employees of Sykes Group, Melbourne Branch, were approached by Gippsland Port Authority, Victoria, to assist with the ongoing problem of the local Lakes Entrance inlet silting up and limiting access for small craft and fishing contractors to the Port.

Previous and current dredging methods were unable to overcome this issue due to the inability of the Dredge to get close to the channel inlet walls. This issue got to a critical situation and as a result Sykes Group were contacted for a solution.

In conjunction with Bruce Green of Gippsland Port Authority and Charlie Whelan of Whelan’s Earthmoving, Sykes supplied the solution - a Dragflow HY85B Hydraulically Driven Submersible Slurry Pump c/w 2 off EXHY20 Hydraulic Agitators mounted to Whelan’s 30 Tonne Excavator. The Sykes Dragflow Pump is capable of moving up 450m3 per hour of slurry of which approximately 30% or 135m3 per hour of this will be sand.

The reach of the 30 tonne Excavator made it possible to manoeuvre the pump to the exact position and clear all the sand so access was restored to vessels.

For further details on the Dragflow Dredging Pumps please contact your local Sykes Group Branch