VESSEL REVIEW | General MacArthur – 88-metre ocean-certified dredger is largest in Callan Marine fleet

VESSEL REVIEW | General MacArthur – 88-metre ocean-certified dredger is largest in Callan Marine fleet
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With the deepening and widening of many US seaports and entrance channels, and an increasing number of beneficial use dredging projects, Texas-based marine services contractor Callan Marine recognised the need for a new large ocean-certified cutter suction dredger so that it will be better equipped to serve the growing US dredging market. Fulfilling this requirement is General MacArthur, an 88.4-metre-long, all-steel dredger with a total installed power of nearly 18,000 kW, making it one of the largest vessels of its kind ever built by an American shipyard.

Callan Marine had specifically requested that the dredger be engineered and constructed with the latest technologies and state-of-the-art monitoring. This has resulted in a diesel-electric drive being incorporated for the cutter, winches, and dredge pumps, and full diagnostic control and monitoring of all installed equipment.

Powered by a trio of Caterpillar MAK diesel engines and with a fuel capacity of over 1.1 million litres, the dredger honouring the famed American World War II general is capable of working on all US coasts and waterways and is also the first vessel in the Callan Marine fleet capable of carrying out "blue water" ocean dredging projects. It is designed to perform capital, maintenance, and beneficial use dredging, such as marsh creation and beach renourishment, at depths of up to 27 metres, thanks to a suction and discharge pipeline with an 800-millimetre diameter. Even with its impressive size, the dredger has a draught of only 2.1 metres, making it suitable for many shallow-water projects as well.

General MacArthur is a non-self-propelled vessel and will thus need to be towed between projects. For offshore dredging projects, the dredger will position itself and operate on an arrangement of anchor wires, which will allow it to continue working even with moderate swell conditions. When the dredger works in sheltered sea-state conditions, an idler barge with spud system is connected to the stern of the dredger, allowing it to step forward using its spuds as it dredges the material from the sea bottom.

The dredger is equipped with a variety of sensors that continuously measure the cutting power needed to loosen the dredge spoil, and the density and flow rate of the dredge slurry in the dredge pipeline. The automation installed on board allows the vessel to operate in full automated mode, whereby the swing speed and pump power are adjusted with little to no input from the crew to keep a continuous flow rate and density going through the dredge pipeline.

General MacArthur also boasts facilities and amenities including a conference room, an engineer's office, a laundry, a galley with walk-in cooler and freezer, a gym, a recreational area, a hospital compartment, and staterooms with a total capacity of 33 beds. The vessel also has VHF radio communication and wifi access.

Shortly after being completed and delivered by Louisiana-based C&C Marine and Repair, General MacArthur deployed for work on its first project, a contract with a private operator in Port Arthur, Texas. It will later sail for the Port of Corpus Christi to perform the deepening and widening of the ship channel under a US$97.9 million contract awarded by the US Army Corps of Engineers.

General MacArthur
SPECIFICATIONS
Type of vessel:Cutter suction dredger
Classification:A1 Barge
Port of registry:Galveston, Texas
Flag:USA
Owner:Callan Marine, USA
OperatorCallan Marine, USA
Designer:Bean Design
Builder:C&C Shipyard, USA
Hull construction material:Steel
Superstructure construction material:Steel
Deck construction material:Steel
Length overall:88.4 metres
Beam:21.9 metres
Draught:2.1 metres
Depth:4.9 metres
Gross tonnage:4,544 tonnes
Net tonnage:1,363 tonnes
Main engine/s:3 x Caterpillar MAK diesel-electric engines, 6,000 kW
Auxiliary engine/s:Caterpillar C18 565 kW (auxiliary); Caterpillar C4.4 105 kW (emergency)
Generator/s:3 x Siemens Synchronous Generator 6910 KVA 6,600 V
Hydraulic equipment:Power Dynamics Dual 74kW HPU Central Unit
Depth sounder/s:Teledyne Odom Hydrographic Echotrac E20
Satcom:KVH Maritime Satellite Communications
Compass/es:Navigat 3000 Fiber-Optic Gyrocompass
GPS:Trimble GNSS System; MPS865 Receiver; 2 x GA830 Antenna
AIS:Icom VHF Marine Transceiver IC-M506
Audio video system:Speco Technologies SecureGuard CCTV System
Winch/es3 x PMR Hydraulics Christmas Tree Winches; 2 x Gulf Electroquip GEB22 Motor – Siebenhaar WST 1000 Side Wire Winches; Gulf Electroquip GEB22 Motor – Siebenhaar WST 1000 Ladder Winch
Capstan/windlass:Coastal Marine Equipment Storm Anchor Windlass
Crane/s:2 x EBI C80 with 18-metre reach; EBI C80 with 15-metre reach
Dredging equipment:AEM TH-710-L8 1,864kW Motor – SPI/Mobile Pulley Ladder Pump; AEM TH-710-L8 1,864kW Motor – Kumera MCV3-1350 Gearbox – Rotating Cutterhead; 2 x MarelliMotori 710 (5150 kW) Motor – SPI/MP Deck Pumps; Gulf Electroquip GEB22 Motor – Cornell Jet Pump
Watermaker/s:Maxim TCF 3.7 Water Maker
Alarm system/s:Autronica Autoprime Interactive Fire Detection System
Interior fitout/furnishings:Gym, TV lounge, laundry, hospital, survey, conference rooms, captain's stateroom, chief engineer's stateroom, galley with walk-in cooler and freezer

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