Conrad, GLDD Announce Dredge Newbuild
Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation and Conrad Industries last week announced the execution of a definitive contract by Conrad Shipbuilding for the construction of a 6,500-cubic-yard-capacity trailing suction hopper dredge. The contract gives Great Lakes the option to build an additional dredge should market conditions warrant.
The dredge will be constructed at Conrad’s Deepwater South shipyard in Amelia, La., with expected delivery in the first quarter of 2023. Conrad will perform the detail design based on a regulatory-level design provided by Great Lakes’ in-house engineering department in collaboration with C-Job Naval Architects.
The vessel will complement the Great Lakes’ existing six-dredge hopper fleet, including the ATB Tug Douglas B. Mackie and the 15,000-cubic-yard-capacity barge Ellis Island, which were delivered in the fourth quarter of 2017. The dredge will feature two 800 mm. suction pipes and will be able to dredge at depths of up to 100 feet, with principal dimensions of approximately 346 feet in length, 69 feet in breadth and 23 feet in depth and total installed horsepower of 16,500. The new dredge will be deployed for channel deepening, maintenance dredging, beach nourishment, and coastal restoration projects with short- to medium-distance transport requirements.
The dredge will be equipped with a direct high-power pump-ashore installation, dredging system automation, dynamic positioning and tracking, U.S. EPA Tier 4-compliant engines, and additional features designed to minimize the impact of its dredging process on the environment. The Tier 4-compliant engines significantly reduce the vessel’s climate footprint, while other incorporated features minimize turbidity and marine species entrainment. Accommodations include single-occupancy staterooms, a workout room, and an innovative movie theater with raised seating that doubles as a training facility.
“As the leader in the U.S. dredging industry, Great Lakes continues to strategically invest in its dredging fleet,” said Lasse Petterson, Great Lakes president and CEO. “This highly automated new-build vessel will increase the capabilities of our hopper fleet in the coastal protection and maintenance markets as well addressing specific needs in the growing offshore wind market. We are proud to utilize American-engineered and -built engines, dredge pumps, technology and dredging installations to create a highly efficient and productive vessel to meet our nation’s maritime infrastructure needs. The construction of this Jones Act qualified vessel, at peak construction, will create 150 high-paying shipyard jobs, and upon delivery the ship will be crewed by U.S. citizen mariners. This vessel reinforces our commitment to the Corps of Engineers and faith in the future of the U.S. dredging market.”
Johnny Conrad, chairman and CEO of Conrad Industries, said, “Great Lakes has been a valued customer of Conrad, and we are honored to have been chosen to construct this highly automated vessel to complement Great Lakes’ existing fleet. We look forward to working with the Great Lakes team to provide another quality vessel to serve the U.S. dredging market.”
