Page 46: of Marine News Magazine (August 2020)

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Credit: Weeks Marine main seaports of Wilmington and Morehead City in order U.S. dredging companies are also adding large trailer to safeguard the depth of the ports. The water injection suction hopper dredges (TSHD). Two joined the U.S.- dredger will be built at a to-be-named partner shipyard in ? ag ? eet in late 2017 and 2018 (speci? cally, Great Lakes the U.S. for delivery in 2021. Dredge & Dock Corporation’s Ellis Island and Weeks Ma- “The construction, procurement of the main com- rine’s Magdalen), and there are two more currently on or- ponents, assembly and testing will be performed in the der—one for each company—slated for delivery in 2023.

United States (following the Jones Act regulations) and is Cranford, N.J.-based Weeks Marine has ordered a new being managed by the local IHC operations team based in TSHD from Eastern Shipbuilding Group’s Allanton ship-

Houston,” said Projects & Services Director Rafael Vor- yard in Panama City, Fla., to be handed over in the ? rst caro. “We consider this project as an important step to quarter of 2023. The new dredge, RB Weeks, will be a sis- develop the local team and prepare the organization for ter ship to the Eastern-built twin screw 8,550-cubic-yard future projects in the United States”. TSHD Magdalen, speci? cally designed for beach nourish-

The dredge will have a ? ow of 20,000 GPM, a dredging ment and capital dredging works and highly automated.

depth of 55 feet, a width jet beam of 27 feet and 770 total Within the last decade, Weeks Marine has spent hun- installed horsepower. It is designed to offer easy mainte- dreds of millions to strategically expand its ? eet and equip- nance and a smooth operation, Royal IHC said, adding ment stores to both strengthen the company and rise to other key design factors include dredge depth, weight and growing industry demand. Notably, in August 2019, the cost. A modular approach helps to support the cost-effec- company placed into service a new 30-inch CSD JS Cha- tiveness of the vessel and its maintenance, by allowing the try, built at C&C Marine and Repair.

easy removal and cleaning of the propulsion units, genera- The other TSHD currently on order, a 6,500-cubic- tor and jet water pump, the builder said. yard-capacity dredge for Great Lakes Dredge & Dock “This is IHC’s ? rst U.S. ? agged vessel,” said Sales Di- Corporation, based in Oak Brook, Ill., is being built by rector America Rafael Habib. “We are very proud to have Conrad Shipyard for scheduled delivery in the ? rst quarter achieved this important milestone for IHC, which is of of 2023. The deal includes an option to build an addi- key importance in continuing to develop the company’s tional dredge, the U.S.’ largest dredging services provider footprint in the U.S. dredging market.” said when the order was announced.

August 2020 46 MN