NEWSMAKERS

Trailing suction hopper dredges currently under construction in U.S. yards include a sister ship for the Royal IHC designed 8,550-cubic-yard TSHD Magdalen, delivered by Eastern Shipbuilding to Weeks Marine, Inc, in 2017. Eastern Shipbuilding builds a second for Weeks

A TSHD under construction at Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG) for Weeks Marine Inc, the R.B. Weeks, is a sister ship to the Magdalen (ESG 256), delivered in 2017 and has a hopper capacity of 8,550 cubic yards. It was designed by Royal IHC of the Netherlands, which also delivered a number of its key components.

“In nearly all respects, the R.B. Weeks is identical to the Magdalen,” said Joey D’Isernia, president of Eastern Shipbuilding Group. “The R.B. Weeks is a technical sister ship to the Magdalen, so the vast majority of the ship’s designs were transferable to the Magdalen with relatively minor updates.

you know, when you go through drydocking of older vessels, the cost goes up, and at some point it comes time to retire these old ladies, and they’re very small compared to this new dredge that we are looking at.”

Conrad is carrying out the detail design and constructing the dredge—or dredges, if that option is exercised— based on a design provided by Great Lakes’ in-house engineering department in collaboration with Netherlands-based C-Job Naval Architects.

Also on order for GLDD at Conrad are two Damen Multi-Cats. They are the first of these versatile workhorses to be built in the U.S. and can perform a wide range of tasks and eliminate the need for assorted floating support equipment, such as derrick barges, tow boats and anchor barges.

“This is a milestone moment for the U.S. shipping industry and our company,” said Pettersen at the time the order was announced, “the Multi Cats will give us the ability to dredge with enhanced operating efficiencies needed to maintain our shorelines and waterways.”

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