The Liebherr R 936 excavator has been supplied with a marine specification, which includes water resistant paint and both a foam-filled dipper arm and seals on all pins and bushes to prevent water ingress and internal rusting. It has also been supplied with two excavation buckets plus additional hydraulic circuits and pipework, including a boom and dipper arm, to allow the use of various attachments, such as a clamshell bucket if required. And for efficient underwater excavations, the R 936 is fitted with the Prolec pcX-pro 3D positioning product that allows the operator to view what is going on under the water. Visibility is also aided by LED 2100 lights that illuminate both the work area and the area around the machine.
For optimal operator comfort, the Liebherr R 936 has a spacious, ergonomically-designed cab including a pneumatic seat with horizontal and vertical damping, optimal visibility from the operator’s platform thanks to the very large glazed surface area and minimal area of uprights, ergonomic proportional manipulators for sensitive, accurate and fluid operation of hydraulic tools and minimised acoustic power inside the cab to diminish fatigue at work and increase productivity. An automatic central lubrication system can also be adjusted by the operator from the cab, depending on application.
The MV Selkie made its inaugural journey from shipyard to sea last month and in its first dredging trip out earlier this month unloaded 260 tonnes from its hull within half an hour. The R 936 benefits from two excavation buckets, a 0.55m³ digging bucket with ESCO teeth and a 1.45m³ straight edge bucket for dumping, and is able to switch between them for dredging work making it highly efficient in this type of operation.