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and reopening roads in sequence. At the harbour, a 750 t mobile crane lifted the crawler from the transporter and set it down on the quayside, ready for loading onto the vessel. Testing and commissioning Before installation on the Benguela Gem, the crawler underwent full-scale simulation testing on land. Specialised rigs were used to replicate operating loads - allowing the team to validate all systems including hydraulics, control software and automation - before the crawler even touched the water. Davids underscores the complexity of the control systems. “We use 2,2 km of cabling on the crawler with more than 10 000 individual connections,” he says. “Every one of them must be fully checked before leaving the workshop, because once the unit is offshore, you don’t have the luxury of quick access.” Van der Laer notes the efficiency of crawler changeovers. “When the vessel docks, the onboard machine is lifted off and the replacement is installed immediately,” he explains. “We load the new software and it is ready to go straight into operation.” Client collaboration Smith highlights the close collaboration with Debmarine Namibia during the assembly of the first next generation crawler, which included having a member of the crawler operations team embedded in the mining systems workshop on a weekly rotation. “While on site, these operations team representatives provided valuable observations that fed directly into our continuous improvement process,” he explains. “By systematically acting on their feedback, we were able to incorporate enhancements into the first unit and carry these improvements into the build of our second unit - ensuring all future models benefit from real-world operational insights.” Specialised design and sourcing Agostinho underscores the depth of design and engineering expertise behind De Beers’ crawler legacy. “To our knowledge, this is the largest remotely operated submersible machine in the world and every aspect of its design is customised and carried out in-house,” he says. “We rely on an extensive, well-established supply chain of trusted partners to deliver specialised components - many of which are bespoke and produced exclusively for us.” Even with outsourced parts, the Upstream Technology team undertakes multiple iterative adjustments to achieve seamless integration with the core design - a process that draws on extensive expertise in mechanical, hydraulic, electrical, and control engineering.
The team stands proudly in front of the Next Generation Crawler (NGC) ahead of its deployment to the Benguela Gem.
The MV Benguela Gem docked at Cape Town harbour, ready to receive its latest subsea technology upgrade.
connections for the crawler including power supply lines at different voltages for the dredge motor, jet water system and high-pressure unit, along with lubrication and communication channels. Assembly and transport Scaling up the crawler’s size by 20% compared to its predecessor required significant assembly upgrades at Upstream Technology’s advanced technical facilities in Cape Town. Senior Workshop Engineering Officer Abdul-Gameed Davids recalls the challenge of lifting the 47 tonne dredge motor into the crawler frame inside the workshop equipped with two 30 tonne cranes. “Our solution was to synchronise both cranes to give us the added capacity,” Davids says. “We have since formalised this process, increasing our capability for future builds.” Moving the completed 370 t crawler from the workshop to the harbour demanded months of meticulous planning - covering everything from night-time road closures to the temporary removal of street infrastructure. Senior Project Engineer Steven Smith explains that the team collaborated closely with specialist rigging and lifting partners to complement its in-house expertise. “The crawler’s weight, combined with its 28 m length, called for a specialised multi-axle heavy-haul vehicle,” Smith notes. “The route had to be surveyed for road and bridge load limits, turning radii and overhead clearances under power lines and signage.” Street infrastructure, such as lamp posts and barriers, was temporarily removed to accommodate the load. The move took place at night to minimise traffic disruption with police escorts and traffic management teams closing
30 MODERN MINING www.modernminingmagazine.co.za | DECEMBER 2025 - JANUARY 2026
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