Dredge drag head

A dredge drag head is used by a trailing suction hopper dredger to collect sand from the sea floor.

The dredge drag head is a steel structure that is connected to the dredger by a suction pipe.

Supported by the gantries and by using hydraulic winches the dredge drag head and suction pipe are let down onto the sea bottom in order to suck a mixture of water and sand.

In order to dredge in waves, the suction pipe is suspended from special davits, which operate with heave compensation to ensure that the drag head nozzles stay in contact with the sea bed.

To cut the sea bed, the dredge drag head is equipped with replaceable teeth and water jet nozzles.

Dredge drag head
The dredge drag head of a suction dredge barge on the Vistula River , Warsaw , Poland
The same dredge drag head and the suction pipe.