Great Lakes Dredge and Dock christens newest hopper dredger

Houston-based marine projects company Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company (GLDD) has formally named Galveston Island, its newest trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD).

The dredger was built by Conrad Shipyard in Amelia, Louisiana, to a design by Netherlands-based C-Job Naval Architects.

The TSHD has a length of 346 feet (105 metres), a beam of 69 feet (21 metres), a total installed power of 16,500 hp (12,300 kW), and a hopper capacity of 6,500 cubic yards (4,970 cubic metres). It will also be capable of dredging at depths of up to 100 feet (30 metres).

The dredger is equipped with a direct high-power pump-ashore installation, dredging system automation, dynamic positioning and tracking, and US EPA Tier IV-compliant engines that can also be configured to run on biofuel to minimise environmental impact. Other incorporated features will minimise turbidity and marine species entrainment.

Conrad Shipyard will also be building a sister vessel to Galveston Island. The two new TSHDs will replace ageing dredgers in the GLDD fleet as part of a renewal program scheduled to be completed in 2025.