Halong Shipbuilding, Vietnam, said that the steel cutting ceremony for a new trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) 1000 was held on July 1 at its shipyard, marking the official start of a new construction.
The ceremony was attended by representatives from the shipowner UK Dredging (UKD), Damen and Bureau Veritas (BV) Classification Society, reaffirming the strong partnership and close cooperation of all parties involved in this project, Halong said.
“ UKD is responsible for providing essential dredging services across ports and waterways throughout the United Kingdom. The dredger will play a crucial role in maintaining navigational depths and supporting safe, efficient vessel access to ABP’s ports ,” Damen said.
The vessel, based on the Damen TSHD 1000 design, will be customized to meet the specific operational needs of UKD.
Construction will take place in Vietnam and the dredger is expected to be ready for maintenance duties in ports across the United Kingdom in 2028.
The vessel will be fitted with a diesel-electric propulsion system incorporating an energy storage system, as well as a Damen aftertreatment ULEV‑compliant exhaust system featuring SCR and DPF filters, aligning with the latest environmental standards in the maritime industry. The 60‑metre vessel will also be equipped with an electrically driven grab crane.