City of Virginia Beach Erosion Council Buys Ellicott Dredge

Ellicott International delivered the cutterhead dredge "Rudee Inlet II" to the City of Virginia Beach, USA. The 14-inch Series 970 dredge is used to maintain the recreational beach in the resort city. The dredge replaced a non-Ellicott dredge whose downtime and maintenance costs induced the city’s Erosion Council to recommend a replacement.

Ellicott Series 970 Dredge "Rudee Inlet II"

The Erosion Council is a five-member group charged with maintaining the resort strip. The council has maintained a sand mining capability in Rudee Inlet for more than 25 years, establishing a continuous beach fill program.

A task force was appointed by the City Manager to oversee the acquisition of a new dredge. The Assistant City Engineer and the Superintendent for the Erosion Council developed the specifications for the new dredge with assistance from the Corps of Engineers Marine Design Center in Philadelphia.

An invitation to bid was issued. After a review of bids by the task force, Ellicott received the contract. The City of Virginia Beach owns the dredge, which will be operated by the Erosion Council in their sand bypassing operation in Rudee Inlet.

Reprinted from International Dredging Review