UK DREDGING TO ACQUIRE A BRAND-NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART DREDGER
UK Dredging (UKD), a division of Associated British Ports (ABP), has announced the latest upgrade to its fleet of dredgers, with the order of a new vessel to be constructed by Dutch firm Barkmeijer Shipyards. The agreement – worth in excess of £16 million – was signed on Friday, 30 November, and marks the culmination of a 10-month procurement process
Due to enter service in mid-2010, the vessel will be a trailing suction hopper dredger, with a hopper capacity of some 2,300 m3. At 75 m in length, she will be large enough to operate in open sea locations, but will also have the manoeuvrability and precision to dredge in enclosed docks. The new craft will also have the ability to discharge via bottom doors or to pump ashore.
Paul Banks, UKD’s Technical Manager, pointed out the benefits of being able to play a part in the design of the new dredger, from the start of the project:
“The length of the vessel, for example, has been designed to fit into smaller locks, making her as flexible and customer-friendly as possible.
“Safety has also been paramount in the design, with input from personnel on existing UKD craft being incorporated wherever possible. Oil-handling equipment will be separated from the main engine room, the dredge pump room has been designed with a watertight bulkhead and electrical systems are to be housed within a protected environment.”
The vessel will be driven by the very latest design of diesel-electric propulsion, with Wärtsilä 6L20 engines powering three 1200Kw generator sets. These, in turn, run two 1500Kw electric motor-driven rudder propeller units. Paul Banks explains:
“The benefit of this is that power is only consumed when it is needed, and so fuel is used as efficiently as possible. The flexibility, manoeuvrability and overall control of the new craft will make it the cleanest, most environmentally-friendly dredger in our fleet.”
Hans Veraat, Commercial Director of Barkmeijer Shipyards, said:
“We are very pleased to receive this order from UKD for the design and construction of this highly innovative dredger. It will be interesting for us to carry out this contract for a dredger with a diesel-electric installation. UKD’s requirements to build an environmentally friendly state-of-the-art maintenance dredger have been integrated in the specification. The overall concept behind this method of energy generation, control and utilisation supports UKD’s aim of reducing fuel consumption and exhaust gas emissions. We have built a very constructive and efficient relationship with UKD so far, which I’m sure will be developed further during the construction of the dredger itself.”
Accommodation for a crew of up to 12 – in single en-suite rooms – will be included, along with a fully-equipped mess-room and recreation room.
Established in 1996 to meet ABP’s maintenance-dredging requirements and undertake third-party works, UKD currently operates a fleet of six dedicated vessels: three trailing-suction dredgers – UKD Bluefin, UKD Marlin and UKD Dolphin; two dredging-support and buoy-handling vessels – UKD Seahorse and UKD Sealion and one self-propelled grab hopper dredger, Cherry Sand. UKD’s operations are overseen from their Head Office in Cardiff. In addition to dredging services, UKD also runs a hydrographic-survey department specialising in port, coastal and inland surveys across the UK.
This fleet is available to support capital and maintenance dredging projects in ABP’s 21 ports around the UK, but also carries out a large amount of third-party work. In 2007, some 34 contracts have been undertaken, in places such as the Port of Tyne, Bristol, Aberdeen and Dundee, while overseas projects have also been handled at the Irish ports of Waterford and Foynes, together with chartered works at Emden in Germany. This has been an important area of business growth for UKD, with the number of third-party contracts increasing from 26 in 2005 to 34 (so far) in 2007.
Jeff Neale, UKD’s General Manager, said:
“UKD has the most modern and efficient dredging fleet in the UK to fulfil maintenance dredging requirements for both ABP and third-party customers. This new vessel will allow us to continue to offer a cost-effective and reliable service well into the foreseeable future, and I look forward very much to seeing her join our fleet.”
John Fitzgerald, ABP Port Director for the South Wales Ports, and with overall responsibility for UKD, added:
"In little over a decade since the foundation of UKD, the company has developed into a major presence in the British and North European markets. This significant investment by ABP is illustrative of our commitment to UKD, and our drive to enhance UKD's already first-rate dredging capability will be of great benefit to the company’s external customers and ABP.”
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