Van Oord Orders Third Hopper Dredge from Keppel

Van Oord has ordered a third trailing suction hopper dredge from Keppel FELS Limited. The vessel is similar to the two vessels that Van Oord ordered in May 2018. Each one has a hopper capacity of approximately 10,500 cubic meters (13,734 cubic yards) and measures 138 meters (452 feet) in length and 28 meters (91 feet) across the beam.

This investment is part of a broader fleet renewal program in the dredging business unit. The new hoppers will replace existing vessels, as Van Oord aims to modernize its fleet and make it more energy efficient. For example, the climate control system on-board will use the vessel’s existing cooling and heating sources to recycle energy as efficiently as possible. Another innovative factor is the extensive degree of automation. The automated systems will be more advanced than even before, and integrated vessel data is easily being processed by a shore support center.

The vessels will have a suction pipe with a submerged e-driven dredge pump, two shore discharge dredge pumps, five bottom doors, and a total installed power of 14,500 kW. They will accommodate 22 people. The vessels will obtain a Green Passport and Clean Ship Notation. The first two vessels, Vox Ariane and Vox Apolonia, will be delivered in 2021. The third vessel will be delivered in 2022.