Critical Infrastructure and Land Reclamation in West Africa
The Problem: A Community Facing Total Submergence
The Keta coastal region of Ghana was once one of the most threatened shorelines in West Africa. By the late 1990s, the situation had reached a breaking point:
- Aggressive Atlantic Erosion: The coastline was retreating at an average of 4 to 8 meters per year, with storm surges frequently overtopping the narrow sandbar that separated the Atlantic Ocean from the Keta Lagoon.
- Displaced Populations: Thousands of residents had already lost their homes, and the vital road connecting the Keta district to the rest of the country was largely submerged or destroyed.
- Logistical Complexity: The project required the placement of nearly 10 million cubic yards of fill to create an 8.3 km long landmass that could serve as both a defensive barrier and a foundation for a new highway.
The Solution: Integration of the Ellicott® Series 370 Dragon®
For a project of this magnitude, Great Lakes Dredge & Dock (GLDD) utilized a tiered equipment strategy. While massive hopper dredges handled the offshore sand winning, the Ellicott® Series 370 Dragon® was utilized for the precision work required in the lagoon and inland segments.
- The Equipment: The Series 370 is a compact, portable cutter suction dredge. In the context of the Keta project, it provided the maneuverability necessary to work in the shallower waters of the lagoon and narrow canal segments.
- Surgical Excavation: The 370 was used to dredge specific fill material and create flood-control channels that allowed the lagoon to breathe, preventing the internal flooding that had plagued the town during the rainy season.
- Pipeline Delivery: Utilizing its 12-inch (300 mm) discharge, the Ellicott® dredge pumped slurry directly into the reclamation zones, providing the foundational layers for what would eventually become a stable 80-meter-wide “buffer zone.”
- Global Collaboration: The project showcased how Ellicott® equipment can operate as a vital “tactical” component alongside larger “strategic” vessels on multi-hundred-million-dollar international contracts.
The Outcome: A Resilient Coastline and Economic Rebirth
The Keta Sea Defense project is widely considered a triumph of coastal engineering, fundamentally altering the future of the region.
- Reclamation of 275 Hectares: The combined dredging efforts reclaimed nearly 700 acres of land from the sea and lagoon, providing a safe area for the permanent relocation of communities that were previously at risk.
- Infrastructural Backbone: The project successfully built the 8.3 km sea wall and road, ending the isolation of the Keta district and allowing for the return of trade and tourism.
- Sustainable Defense: By utilizing Ellicott® technology to manage the lagoon-side hydraulics, the project ensured that the town was protected from both the Atlantic waves and the rising lagoon waters.
- Endorsement by Industry Leaders: The reliance on the Series 370 by a firm as prestigious as Great Lakes Dredge & Dock for a high-stakes African infrastructure project remains a definitive endorsement of the dredge’s durability and performance.