Unique dredging vessel launched in Korea

Korean shipbuilder Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction (HHIC) has launched KOEM’s new trailing suction hopper dredger “ENDAM”.

The multi-purpose vessel will primarily act as an oil recovery vessel, and will undertake work as a hopper dredger when not tending to emergencies.

Last spring, Damen Shipyards Group signed an agreement with HHIC to deliver a complete components package. The package includes all equipment for oil recovery operations as well as a complete dredging installation.

According to Damen, the equipment package comprises the dredging gear, the oil sweeping gear and the electric and hydraulic system. Moreover, the integration of all these systems is undertaken by Damen.

The dredging installation is a complete turnkey package including a 900 mm trailing pipe, designed to dredge at max -30m depth, complete with its gantries and winches, a dredge pump and jet water pump including drives, plus ample hopper loading and discharging equipment, including dredge valves and overflows.

On the other hand the oil recovery system consists of a rigid sweeping arm of 15 metres complete with its crane and various oil pumps in order to deal with oils of varying viscosity. The oil recovery system has been designed to work in waves up to 4 metres.

The 5,000 tons, 4,100m3 dredger ENDAM will be Korea’s first large combined oil recovery and dredging vessel.

The delivery of this unique vessel is expected in 2022.