Eastern Shipbuilding cuts steel for Weeks Marine dredge

Written by Nick Blenkey
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Left to Right: Hans Bloomberg of Weeks Marine, Inc., Brian D’Isernia ESG, Kenneth Munroe ESG, Jamie Keel ESG, Benny Bramblette ESG, and Bob Babb ESG

Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. reports that on August 19, 2020, it commenced steel cutting for R.B. Weeks, ESG Hull 258, a new trailing suction hopper dredge for Weeks Marine, Inc. following the contract signing four months earlier. The new vessel will be constructed at Eastern’s Allanton Shipyard, Panama City, Fla.

This is Eastern’s second trailing suction hopper dredge project for Weeks Marine and follows the December 2017 delivery of the Magdalen, ESG Hull 256.


The R.B. Weeks is named in honor of Richard B. Weeks, a co-founder of Weeks Marine and married to Magdalen Weeks, the namesake of the sister vessel Magdalen (ESG 256), also built by Eastern and delivered in December 2017.

This new trailing suction hopper dredge is scheduled for delivery early 2023.

The dredge has the following characteristics:

  • Dimensions (Overall): 356’ x 79’-6”’x 27’-3”
  • Designer: Royal IHC
  • Main Engines: (2) GE 16V250 MDC IMOIII/EPA Tier 4
  • Main Propulsion: (2) Wartsila CPP in nozzles
  • Main Gears: (2) Siemens (Flender)
  • Bow Thruster: (1) AC 730 kW VFD Fixed Pitch Tunnel Unit
  • Main Shaft Generators: (2) x 3,400 ekW
  • Auxiliary Generator: (1) GE 6L250 MDC (1,423 ekW) IMOIII/EPA Tier 4
  • Emergency Generator: (1) Caterpillar C18 (430 ekW) IMOII/EPA Tier 3
  • Classification: Lloyd’s Register, +100A1 Hopper Dredger, +LMC, UMS
  • Hopper Capacity: 8,550 cu. yd (6,540 cu. m)
  • Accommodations: 26 persons
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