Containment Technology

"Mobile Containment Vessel Mitigates Sediment Migration Issues"

Seaway's "Mobile Containment" or "Control Zone" technology is an environmental dredging containment technology that prevents the migration hazardous contaminants from a dredge work area, and minimizes the residual contamination remaining after the cleanup is completed. It provides a new tool for engineers and dredging contractors and offers an alternative to conventional containment strategies (e.g., silt curtains, which are limited in applicability to low current waterways and fixed sheet piles, which introduce navigation and immobility problems).

Seaway's Containment technology establishes a containment or control zone, which is a large pen that cordons off, with a sheet pile barrier wall, the area to be dredged. Dredging occurs inside the pen, thereby minimizing the release of contaminants from the dredge area into the surrounding environment. The mobility of the containment vessel permit vessels to be deployed wherever the contamination is present .

Seaway's Mobile Containment system provides alternative degrees or levels of containment:

Level 1 (Mobile Sheet Pile Containment) - provides for containment of sediment disturbed during dredging operations. This is accomplished by setting up one or more Mobile Containment Vessels in which dredging can occur. The walled-in pen prevents the free migration of sediment particulates during dredging operations.

Level 2 (Mobile Sheet Pile Containment and Vacuuming) - provides for containment of sediment disturbed during dredging operations as in Level 1 containment, but adds a bottom vacuuming operation to remove dispersed sediment (fluff) that is contained within the pen. This prevents the migration of this sediment after the containment wall is removed and results in a more effective cleanup of the waterway bottom and greater opportunity to achieve target cleanup goals.

Level 3 (Low Pressure Control Zone Containment) - provides the highest level of containment. It establishes a low pressure zone inside the pen (or containment area). This low pressure zone is established by pumping water from the containment area to a water treatment facility located on the control zone barge, which draws water outside-in, preventing the loss of silt and soluble contamination from the dredge area.

Water pumped from the control zone is filtered through very fine filters and purified to remove potential contaminants (such as PCBs) and returned to the open water.

To view a video of Seaway Mobile Containment Technology (a high speed internet connection is highly recommended): click here.

Copyright© 2000 Seaway Environmental Technologies, Inc.