PHOTO: TSHD Essayons in Drydock

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Portland District’s trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) Essayons was lifted into drydock earlier this week in Honolulu for annual repairs and maintenance.

“Many components of a ship can only be inspected while in drydock. Crews visually check everything below the waterline for damage that may have occurred to the hull, propellers, rudders and bow thruster,” USACE said in their yesterday’s announcement.

Other components, like the seawater valves and steering equipment, can only be tested when the ship is out of the water.

Maintaining the entrance bars, rivers and harbors

The USACE’s hopper dredger Essayons, operated by a merchant marine crew, was delivered to the Portland District in 1983.

The Essayons helps maintain the entrance bars, rivers and harbors on the coasts of California, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, Alaska and, in emergencies, the Mississippi River.

Because of its size and dredging depth, the Essayons works in the larger coastal entrances and larger volume sand deposits in river channels.

Designed to operate anywhere in the world, the Essayons is automated for operation with a semiautomatic dragarm handling system.