The suction hopper dredger HEGEMANN IV is currently being used to reinforce the approximately 1.5 km long “Warflether Sands” in the municipality of Berne. The tidal influence and shipping traffic on the Weser have led to considerable erosion in the area of the beach section in recent years. With the help of the HEGEMANN IV and flushing pipes, around 85,000 m³ of sand is being washed up on the shore to restore the beach sections. The last time the sand was washed up was in 1994.
The hold of the HEGEMANN IV contains approx. 1,400 m³ of sand per trip, which comes from maintenance dredging of the Weser navigation channel. The sand/water mixture is flushed onto the beach using flushing pipes. The sand is then spread and installed using a bulldozer. The flushing pipes are extended step by step by 12 m long sections in order to work off the entire “Warflether Sand”.
The work will be carried out 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Completion is expected at the beginning of August.
Another section of beach in the Elsfleth area will be refloated in summer 2022.