An apparatus, system and method for removing and treating contaminated materials on a bottom of a body of water and introducing growth packets to revitalize the treated bottom of the body of water. The structure may comprise a vessel with an open face. The vessel may be lowered down to the bottom of the body of water with the face facing down. As a result, the vessel and the bottom form an isolated space. The structure may comprise at least one agitating device(s) for stirring up the materials inside the vessel so as to form a mixture containing the sediment materials which in turn contain the contaminants. Multiple at least one pipe(s) may be coupled to the vessel for transporting the mixture out of the vessel for processing (filtering, treating with chemicals, etc.) so as to neutralize or eliminate the contaminants in the mixture. Then, the treated mixture can be returned to the inside of the vessel via the at least one pipe(s).

A method for operating a cutting dredger in open water, in particular to control a ground reaction force during dredging operations, the dredger including; a floating body, an elongate cutter ladder having a cutting head at its lowerable free end for dredging, which cutter ladder is hingeably coupled to the floating body and hingeable between an upwards position and a cutting position wherein the cutting head engages matter to be cut away at the floor of a body of water.

A device for launching subsurface mining vehicle into a water mass from a docking well of a floating vessel, and/or recovering said vehicle from the water mass is disclosed. The device comprises a docking frame that is hinge mounted to the vessel, and that comprises first mining vehicle engaging means for guiding the mining vehicle along a longitudinal direction of the frame into the water. The docking frame operatively engages with drive means for tilting the frame in a vertical plane between a substantially horizontal mining vehicle docking position and a substantially vertical mining vehicle launching or recovery position. The device further comprises third engaging means for guiding the mining vehicle when the vehicle extends at least partly underneath a base of the vessel. The device allows lowering or recovering subsurface mining vehicle in a controlled manner.

A boom turret for a debris body. The boom turret includes an inlet defining an inlet axis and configured to couple to a hose. An outlet defining an outlet axis and configured to rotatably couple to the debris body. The inlet axis is substantially orthogonal to the outlet axis and a debris flow path is defined within the boom turret between the inlet and the outlet. A plate is disposed between the inlet and the outlet and has a surface at least partially defining the debris flow path through the boom turret. A nozzle is coupled to the plate and extends into the debris flow path. A pressure vessel is configured to hold a charge of pressurized fluid, and the pressure vessel is coupled in flow communication with the nozzle and selectively releases the charge of pressurized fluid through the nozzle to dislodge accumulated debris within the debris flow path.

A boom turret for a debris body. The boom turret includes an inlet defining an inlet axis and configured to couple to a hose. An outlet defining an outlet axis and configured to rotatably couple to the debris body. The inlet axis is substantially orthogonal to the outlet axis and a debris flow path is defined within the boom turret between the inlet and the outlet. A plate is disposed between the inlet and the outlet and has a surface at least partially defining the debris flow path through the boom turret. A nozzle is coupled to the plate and extends into the debris flow path. A pressure vessel is configured to hold a charge of pressurized fluid, and the pressure vessel is coupled in flow communication with the nozzle and selectively releases the charge of pressurized fluid through the nozzle to dislodge accumulated debris within the debris flow path.

A dredge system includes a float having an inlet and an outlet, a drive device including a drive wheel and a suction intake, and a control arm connected to the inlet of the float and an outlet of the suction intake, the control arm configured to extend vertically from the drive device, the float configured to maintain a position directly above the drive device and the drive wheel configured to move the suction intake.

A boom assembly for an excavation vehicle includes a bracket configured to couple to a turret that is rotatably mounted to a debris body. Three or more telescoping support members. A first support member of the three or more telescoping support members is pivotably coupled to the bracket, a second support member of the three or more telescoping support members supports a shoe at a distal end, and a third support member of the three or more telescoping support members is disposed at least partially between the first support member and the second support member. The boom assembly also includes a single actuator. One end of the actuator is coupled to the first support member and the other end of the actuator is coupled to the second support member. The actuator is configured to extend and retract the second support member relative to the first support member.

A deep-sea mining vehicle for taking up mineral deposits from a seabed at great depth, the vehicle includes a support frame provided with means for moving the vehicle forward on the seabed, with at least one suction head with an open suction side which is directed toward the seabed and along which the mineral deposits and surrounding water are taken up, and with a temporary storage, connected via a suction conduit to the at least one suction head, for the mineral deposits taken up, temporary storage includes a container with a front wall, a rear wall, side walls, an upper wall, and a bottom, at the position of the upper wall and connecting to the front wall a first connecting part for the suction conduit, and at substantially the same height and connecting to the rear wall a second connecting part for a discharge conduit for discharge of substantially the sucked-up water.

A material-receiving device for a suction excavator has an articulated tube support and a suction tube. A first, proximal end of the articulated tube support is attachable to the suction excavator by a rotationally movable fastening mount. At a second distal end, the articulated tube support comprises a suction connecting piece connected to the suction tube. The articulated tube support comprises n3 links, between each of which a hinge joint with an associated drive is formed. All the hinge joints have the same degree of freedom, so that the links are pivotable in a common plane. A rotary joint is located between the last, distal hinge joint, on which the suction connecting piece is located, and the first hinge joint. The rotary joint has a different degree of freedom than the hinge joints, so that the link disposed subsequently to the rotary joint can be moved out of the plane.

A boom assembly for an excavation vehicle includes a bracket configured to couple to a turret that is rotatably mounted to a debris body. Three or more telescoping support members. A first support member of the three or more telescoping support members is pivotably coupled to the bracket, a second support member of the three or more telescoping support members supports a shoe at a distal end, and a third support member of the three or more telescoping support members is disposed at least partially between the first support member and the second support member. The boom assembly also includes a single actuator. One end of the actuator is coupled to the first support member and the other end of the actuator is coupled to the second support member. The actuator is configured to extend and retract the second support member relative to the first support member.