Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co. (GLDD), the largest provider of dredging services in the U.S., is using a 4-passenger Neoteric Hovertrek for survey work in the restoration of beach, dune and marsh on Pelican Island, a key barrier island. The project will create more than 580 acres and nearly 3 miles of new dunes and marshland. Pelican Island is crucial for protecting Louisiana citizens and property against storm surges and the area is also one of America’s richest fisheries.
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GLDD Site
Engineer Michael Patria learns to pilot the hovercraft near Joshua's Marina in Buras, Louisiana while Neoteric
President Chris Fitzgerald provides constant instruction from the rear seat through
wireless headsets.
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The importance of this project cannot
be overstated: it will help combat one of the highest rates of wetlands loss in
the world. As Louisiana Congressman Cedric Richmond states, “If one
block of New York City disappeared every hour, the nation would be outraged.
Well, Louisiana loses a football field of wetlands every hour, which is
crippling to the state and the nation. It affects our seafood supply, gas and
oil reserves, and storm protection. Reversing this trend is a critical national
priority.”
In its very first survey mission, GLDD’s new Hovertrek
proved its worth in this critical project. Just days after undergoing pilot
training, Site Engineer Michael Patria reported to Neoteric, “Today we used the
hovercraft to do a survey that we conduct every Sunday. This process usually
takes the better part of a day because we must take measurements at points
scattered throughout the entire island. No single machine we possess can get to
some of the locations and transporting machinery back and forth takes several
hours in itself. With the assistance of the hovercraft, we were able to fully
complete this survey in just under an hour and we predict, with practice, we
will be able to do it even faster!”
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Employees
from Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co. receive their Class 3 Standard
hovercraft pilot certification from instructors Chris Fitzgerald and Steve
Stafford. From left: instructor Steve
Stafford, operator Jesus Espinoza, instructor Chris Fitzgerald, and Site Engineer
Michael Patria.
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