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Llanelli Sand Dredging Ltd
Dredging
The company's Burry Port site is supplied with sand by a small trailer suction hopper dredger named Sospan, named in honour of Llanelli. This vessel was specifically designed for supplying the Burry Port site and works on a tidal basis. The high tidal range in the Bristol Channel and the depth limitations of the Sospan, results in dredging on the Helwick Bank generally being carried out after low water.
Two
4-5 week dredging campaigns in the period March-October are usually sufficient
to maintain stock levels for the whole year at Burry Port. At all other
times the Helwick Bank is free of any dredging or dredgers. Each cargo
takes about one hour to load, with the vessel dredging within the designated
licence and parallel to the coastline. Sand is sucked up from the seabed
through a single draghead. After dredging, the draghead leaves a shallow
furrow, just over a metre wide, about 20-30 centimetres deep and between
two and three kilometres in length. The sand is exceptionally uniform
in quality and is suitable for a wide range of end uses. It requires no
washing or grading, unlike most land-won alternatives, and there is no
waste product.
Dredging on the Helwick Bank Licence is strictly controlled and monitored
by the seabed owner, The Crown Estate, and the National Assembly for Wales.
The dredger is fitted with an Electronic Monitoring System (EMS). This
system records the exact position of the vessel and its status, ie whether
it is steaming or dredging. Encrypted information is electronically stored
and sent to The Crown Estate's Agents. The tonnage dredged is also closely
monitored and regular audits are carried out by The Crown Estate's Agents.