TRT Trailers: A product of listening and understanding
10 October 2025
Built to tackle the toughest dredging projects with ease, TRT’s new Hybrid ESS Platform Trailer is not your average trailer.
The new trailer was purchased by Maritime Constructions. Operating across South Australia and Western Australia, the company specialises in marine infrastructure, including capital and maintenance dredging.
As Jeremy Carden, Trailer Sales at TRT, explained, “Maritime Constructions has multiple contracts with regional and town councils to dredge harbours & headwaters on a yearly basis. They have been using an older, inherited trailer but were looking for a custom transport solution that would help improve efficiency, cut down on the number of personnel required every time they do a dredge, and vastly improve safety.”
The Hybrid ESS Platform Trailer features TRT’s patented Electronic Steering System.
TRT worked closely with Maritime Constructions to develop a highly innovative one-of-a-kind trailer that best suits their needs.
Among the most notable features is TRT’s patented Electronic Steering System – ESS – providing all-axle electronic steering at up to 45 degrees, with six individual steering modes.
“TRT has multiple trailer types that ESS has been developed for – our house and platform trailers, and now our dedicated ESS low loaders. ESS provides all wheel remote controlled steering and the ability to crab steer, where it gets every axle to lock so you can walk the trailer sideways,” said Jeremy.
“You can do that with the truck on a 45-degree angle and walk the truck and trailer together parallel, in auto crab mode, or you can do that in manual mode via the remote control.”
The Hybrid ESS Platform Trailer is equipped with the same type of gooseneck that’s used for house trailers, with over 2 metres of vertical stroke. This enables dredging machines to be launched off the trailer, at any boat ramp with ease. It’s been beefed up to handle upwards of 50 tonne of downforce through the gooseneck ram during launch and recovery operations.
“In this application, the whole point of having this type of gooseneck is so the operator can go to the boat ramp and lift the trailer to create the same slope angle as the boat ramp – so the front of the trailer hydraulically raises to match the incline of the ramp,” said Jeremy.
The gooseneck is also detachable, using TRT’s patented Quick Connect system.
The 7m stingers at the rear are submerged into the water during dredge machine launch and recovery.
The trailer also features removable inserts. With the inserts, the trailer has a deck length of 24.2 metres. However the 10-metre deck inserts can be removed to transform it into a 14.2-metre long, 6×8 Platform.
“Maritime Constructions will use those inserts for all the dredging work, but if they have other work, like moving their machines or cranes, they can remove the inserts and use it as a standard 6×8 platform, so it’s all about versatility. The benefit of having removable inserts rather than having an extendable trailer is that you’re not carrying that extra weight when you don’t need the extra length,” Jeremy said.
For controlled dredge machine launch and recovery, the trailer has been fitted with two 25 tonne capacity winches. The addition of 7-metre long, rear stingers and custom designed 10-tonne rated drum rollers allow the dredge machine to be launched into the water with ease. And to stand up to the environment the trailer will be used in, a marine grade paint system has been used throughout.
“Saltwater is an incredibly harsh environment for any trailer, that’s why the 7-metre stingers have been developed as the only section that will be submerged and the marine grade paint system to handle the moist salt air along with residual seawater off the dredge when recovered,” added Jeremy.
To finish off the package, the Hybrid ESS Platform Trailer is controlled via a fully proportional AUTEC remote, used to control all hydraulic and steer functions.
TRT has also developed their own “remote in” system for diagnostics, fault finding and parameter changes. “As long as someone is with the trailer to create a hotspot, our technicians in Australia or New Zealand can remotely access the system to conduct fault finding, adjust pivot points, etc,” Jeremy said.
For servicing and maintenance, QR codes have been added onto the trailer for easy access of manuals.
With such a high degree of functionality, TRT invited Maritime Constructions staff to the TRT factory in New Zealand, where they underwent three days of hands-on training with their innovative new piece of equipment. “They sent two people from their operations team, who are involved in launching the dredge and maintenance. With major trailer projects like this one, we’ve always found this type of practical training to be particularly beneficial,” added Jeremy.
“It can seem like there’s a bit to get your head around at first with these sorts of trailers, but once operators start using them, they quickly get to see the benefits.”
The new trailer is due to be delivered to Maritime Constructions by mid-October 2025.
If you are interested in talking to someone about TRT Trailers call Jeremy Carden on +64 27 354 0329 or email jeremyc@trt.co.nz.