GLDD exercises option with Conrad for second TSHD

Written by Nick Blenkey
new trailing suction hopper dredge

Delivery of the new trailing suction hopper dredge is expected in first quarter 2025 [Image: C-Job Naval Architects]

Houston-headquartered Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation (NASDAQ:GLDD) has exercised a contract option to build a second 6,500-cubic-yard-capacity trailing suction hopper dredge (TSHD) at Conrad Shipyard in Amelia, La.

With expected delivery in the first quarter of 2025, the new vessel will be a sister ship to the Galveston Island, which is presently under construction at Conrad with delivery set for early 2023.

Great Lakes’ hopper dredge fleet including the ATB tug Douglas B. Mackie and 15,000-cubic-yard-capacity barge Ellis Island and the Galveston, Liberty, Terrapin, Dodge and Padre Islands, is the largest hopper fleet in the U.S. dredging industry.

“As the leader in the U.S. dredging industry, Great Lakes continues to strategically invest in its dredging fleet,” said GLDD president and CEO Lasse Petterson. “This highly automated new build vessel will be well-suited to multi-use applications on various project types. It will be deployed for channel deepening, maintenance dredging, beach nourishment, and coastal restoration projects to meet our nations’ maritime infrastructure needs. This vessel reinforces our commitment to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the robust U.S. dredging market.

Construction of the Galveston Island at Conrad has progressed on schedule and on budget said Petterson, adding, “we are very pleased with the quality of construction and our strong partnership with Conrad.”

Being built to a basic design by Netherlands-headquartered C-Job Naval Architects, the new dredge is identical to the Galveston Island and will feature two 800 mm suction pipes. with principal dimensions of approximately 346 feet in length, 69 feet in breadth, 23 feet in depth and 16,500 total installed horsepower, it will be able to dredge at depths of up to 100 feet, .

The dredge will be equipped with a direct high-power pump-ashore installation, dredging system automation, dynamic positioning and tracking, U.S. EPA Tier IV 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. Best-in-class accommodations feature single-occupancy staterooms, a workout room, and a movie theater with raised seating that doubles as a training facility.

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