Uljanik Shipyard delivers dredge to Jan De Nul

Croatia’s Uljanik Shipyard has delivered a fourth self-propelled cutter suction dredge, the Niccolò Machiavelli, to Jan De Nul S.A. G. D. Luxembourg, a member of the Jan De Nul Group.

Niccolò Machiavelli has a dredging depth of 36.6 m depth and is capable of dredging (cutting and simultaneous suction) compacted sand, stiff clay, stones and similar sediments of the sea floor . The excavated material is unloaded by the port or starboard side spuds into barges or through a swivel to a floating pipeline to the shore at a distance of about 10 kilometers.

According to the shipbuilder only six similar ships exist and there has never previously been a contract for the construction of four dredges of this type in the same shipyard. Uljanik says that its success in building and delivering such “ship-machines” makes it one of a small group of global shipyards able to construct thistype of floating unit.

The ship has a length of 138.50 m and breadth of 26 m and height ranging from 8.80 to 12.20 m, with a deadweight of 2,200 tons and a draft of 5.75 m.

The ship has three MAN 6L48/60 engines, each delivering 7,200 kW at 500 rpm, supplying three main alternating generators, each having a power of 7,200 kW at a voltage of 6.6kV.

The major consumption of power is by three huge dredge pumps, each having a power of 5 MW. The ship develops a speed of 13 knots with diesel electric propulsion, driven by two electric motors of 3.5 MW each.

In addition to Niccolò Machiavelli and its three sister self-propelled cutter suction dredge, Uljanik has contracts from Jan De Nul for the construction of two trailing suction hopper dredges, continuing the shipbuilder’s orientation towards the construction of more complex ships with greater added value.

September 16, 2011