Page 49: of Marine News Magazine (November 2023)

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R.B. WEEKS

Eastern Shipbuilding Group

Florida shipbuilder Eastern Ship- rier islands and nourishing beaches an electrical power, propulsion, and building Group (ESG) this Spring de- lost to erosion, aiding the U.S. Army dredge machinery package by Royal livered R.B. Weeks, a 8,550 cubic yard Corps of Engineers and other key cli- IHC. It is equipped with twin Wabtec capacity trailing suction hopper dredge ents,” he said at the time of delivery. (GE) 16V250 MDC IMOIII/EPA constructed for Weeks Marine, based The R.B. Weeks is named in honor Tier 4 engines driving a pair of Wart- in Cranford, N.J. of Richard B. Weeks, a co-founder of sila controllable pitch propellers “It’s our pleasure to once again Weeks Marine and married to Mag- (CPP) in nozzles through Siemens deliver a quality vessel on time and dalen Weeks, the namesake of the (Flender) reduction gears, as well as a on budget to our valued customers nearly identical sister vessel Magda- Wartsila ? xed pitch tunnel unit bow at Weeks Marine, Inc.,” said ESG’s len (ESG 256), built by ESG and de- thruster, two Hyundai main genera-

CEO and chairman of the board, Joey livered in 2017. tors, GE 6L250 MDC IMOIII/EPA

D’Isernia. “The R.B. Weeks joins an Like the Magdalen, R.B. Weeks Tier 4 / Hyundai auxiliary generator impressive ? eet that works alongside includes a top-tier dredging machin- and Caterpillar C18 IMOII/EPA Tier the Army Corps of Engineers to pre- ery package by Royal IHC which in- 3 emergency generator.

serve our treasured waterways.” cludes dynamic positioning and pow- With capacity for 26 persons on

Despite building the vessel through erful dredge and jet pumps that will board, the dredge boasts several accom- the height of the COVID-19 pandem- ef? ciently load and unload the ves- modation and crew comfort upgrades. ic, ESG’s workforce was able to deliver sel. R.B. Weeks has a hopper capac- It is classed by Lloyd’s Register (+100A1 the vessel on schedule. The Royal IHC- ity of 8,550 cubic yards and includes Hopper Dredger, +LMC, UMS).

designed R.B. Weeks was constructed at ESG’s Allanton Shipyard and was launched on June 17, 2022. The vessel out? tting and trials were conducted at

ESG’s Port St. Joe Shipyard.

According to Weeks Marine presi- dent and CEO Eric Ellefsen, the de- livery of R.B. Weeks is a signi? cant milestone for the company and the largest capital investment in Weeks

Marine history, which spans over a century. “We look forward to putting the R.B. Weeks to work deepening and maintaining navigation channels, restoring storm-damaged coastal bar- www.marinelink.com MN 49|