Deliveries include a crane vessel for a Chinese offshore construction company and a dredger for a marine projects specialist in the UAE. A Dutch builder lays the keel of a new water injection dredger ordered by a local operator. Finally, a new US-designed dredger will boast shallow-water capability and the ability to run on alternative marine fuels.
Chinese-built offshore crane ship delivered to new owner
Chinese shipbuilder Zhenhua Heavy Industry has handed over a new crane vessel to local operator Jiangsu Longsheng Offshore Engineering.
Built in compliance to China Classification Society rules, Qin Hanggong 5000 has an LOA of 182 metres, a beam of 49 metres, a depth of 15 metres, all-electric propulsion, and an offshore crane with a lifting capacity of 4,000 tonnes.
The vessel was designed to be capable of multiple roles including transport and installation of wind turbines and other large offshore structures. Installation can be accomplished either by hoisting or by piling.
UAE contractor expands port dredging fleet
UAE-based marine projects company MAR Marine and Building Contracting has taken delivery of a new cutter suction dredger (CSD) built by the Damen Shipyards Group.
Named MAR 22, the dredger will be initially deployed to support the Al Hamriyah Port expansion project in Dubai, where it will be used to help remove over 650,000 cubic metres of soil.
The dredger has been fitted out with custom equipment such as anchor booms, a spud carriage system, and features that allow for increasing and decreasing the cutter depth. Also fitted are an accommodation unit located underneath the operating cabin as well as a navigation and communication package.
Keel laid for new water injection dredger for Van Oord
Dutch builder the Kooiman Marine Group has laid the keel of the second of two new water injection dredgers ordered by Van Oord.
The vessel will also be a near identical sister of Maas and Mersey, two earlier dredgers that were delivered by Kooiman in 2021. Features on each dredger will include a hybrid battery energy management system and diesel-electric engines that will enable compliance to IMO Tier III and EU Stage V regulations.
Deliveries are scheduled for 2024 at the earliest.
US firm unveils new shallow-draught dredger design
US naval architecture firm Glosten recently unveiled images of a new design of cutter suction dredger (CSD) capable of shallow-water operations.
Glosten said the medium-sized dredger is part of a new range of inland and coastal work vessels capable of running on alternative fuels.
The dredger will have an electric ladder and booster pump powered by a diesel-electric or methanol-electric power plant. Key features will include a cutter service walkway with a remote-operated service crane that allows safe access to the cutter head for maintenance and an isolated accommodation space to optimise crew comfort.
