C-Job designs new GLDD dredge for ease of build

Written by Nick Blenkey
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GLDD investments in its future include order for Jones Act trailing suction hopper dredge. [IMAGE: C-Job Archiects]

The trailing suction hopper dredge ordered at Conrad Shipyards by Great Lakes Dredge & Dock is being built to a basic design by Netherlands-headquartered C-Job Naval Architects,

C-Job says the TSHD design was developed for beach nourishing and channel maintenance activities. With hopper capacity of 6,500 cubic yards, The vessel will be approximately 346 feet in length, 69 feet in breadth, 23 feet in depth and will have a total installed horsepower of 16,500.

“At C-Job Naval Architects we believe the best designs come about in close collaboration with the client,” says Harry Kikkert, project manager at C-Job. “From the start of this project, key members of the technical fleet managers were involved in the design process. Their feedback and those of the crew, which they were in close contact, were paramount in shaping the design as it stands now.”

DESIGNED TO BE EASY TO BUILD

The TSHD has two suction pipes and has been specifically designed to be easy to build. The hull shape was kept relatively simple while incorporating hydrodynamic design optimizations. This will make the vessel easy to build while still being fuel efficient. In addition, the design is ballast-free which will reduce investment and operational costs.

IMAGE: C-Job Naval Architects

The emphasis on ease of build is understandable given the problems Great Lakes Dredge & Dock encountered in construction of its sophisticated ATB hopper dredge Ellis Island and tug Douglas B. Mackie. That build ran into major problems at the original yard that led to termination of the shipbuilding contract back in 2013. Almost a year later, Great Lakes moved the project to Eastern Shipbuilding (see earlier story) which subsequently delivered the vessel in 2017.

The vessel now on order at Conrad (with an option for a second) will have the following main particulars:

  • Length over all: 346 ft 6 in
  • Length between perpendiculars: 321 ft
  • Breadth molded: 68 ft 6 in
  • Depth 23 ft
  • Dredging draft 20 ft 5 in
  • Max dredging depth 100 ft
  • Gross tonnage: 5,624 GT
  • Speed at loaded draft: 12 knots
  • Crew: 14 + 6 (POB)
Image: C-Job Naval Architects
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