A Backhoe dredger is a pontoon or barge equipped with a hydraulic excavator for dredging channels or other areas in ports & rivers. They can operate in water depths up to 21m, or 23m for larger machines.
Thee hydraulic excavators used can dredge very precisely & are also more capable of handling hard material, or even rock, than grab dredgers.
To maintain position, theu commonly utilise "spud legs" & some backhoe dredgers can even move position using "walking spuds".
Backhoe dredgers commonly work in conjunction with Split Hopper barges which dispose of the dredged material.
Most Backhoe Dredgers are non propelled
Harmony Marine Shipbrokers have a large range of Backhoe dredgers for hire of sale