Page 42: of Marine News Magazine (March 2026)

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Vessels

TradeWinds Towing Delivers

The McMurdo Docking Pier, built by Gunderson Ma-

McMurdo Docking Pier in Antarctica rine & Iron (GM&I) and designed by Glosten for the U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers, arrived last month at McMurdo

Station, Antarctica following a 9,159 nautical mile voyage across the Paci? c Ocean and Southern Ocean. The pier, towed from the Paci? c Northwest by TradeWinds Tow- ing, was underway for 69 days, averaging 5.5 knots over the course of its journey. This total includes four days of route adjustments to avoid severe Southern Ocean weath- er systems. During the ? nal leg of the voyage from New

Zealand to McMurdo, the tow encountered seas reaching 30 feet, underscoring the extreme conditions the structure was engineered to withstand.

Gunderson Marine & Iron

Keel Laying Ceremony for Hopper Dredge at ESG

Images ESG 2025, USACE In late February Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG), 2025, USACE announced the new U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and Royal IHC, announced the new held a keel laying ceremony for the ongoing construction dredge will be named the DON- of the Dredge DONNELLY at Eastern’s Allanton Facility. NELLY after the late Ray Donnelly, who retired

DONNELLY is a Medium Class Hopper Dredge that has as Chief of Resource Management for the USACE Phila- been under construction since April 2025. The vessel will delphia District in 2020. He previously received the Army replace the Dredge McFARLAND and will play a critical Engineer Association’s de Fleury Medal (Bronze Order) in role in enabling USACE to continue to deliver its naviga- recognition of his 44-year career with both the U.S. Navy tion mission and provide for safe, reliable, effective, and en- and USACE. Donnelly was a key leader in the USACE vironmentally sustainable waterborne transportation sys- Resource Management community and conducted a de- tems for vital national security, commerce, and recreation tailed analysis of the four USACE-owned dredges and the needs. In April 2025, construction of the DONNELLY impacts of recapitalization on the national Civil Works commenced with a steel cutting ceremony, also at ESG’s program. He was also instrumental in the ? nancial man-

Allanton Shipyard. Since then, modular construction has agement of the Hopper Dredge McFARLAND.

been progressing steadily, with unit builds and fabrication

Dredge DONNELLY Speci? cations

Length 320 ft.

and assembly of various key components underway. Work

Beam 72 ft.

is being carried out in close coordination with the USACE

Hull Depth 28 ft.

Draft (hopper empty): 11.25 ft.

Marine Design Center, Eastern Shipbuilding Group, and

Draft (hopper full) 25.5 ft.

Royal IHC, the designer of record. The new dredge is on

Maximum hopper capacity 6000 cu. yds.

Maximum dredge depth with suction tube at 45 degrees 65-ft.

track to be placed into service in Fiscal Year 2028. In June 42 | MN March 2026