Belgium’s DEME (Dredging, Environmental & Marine Engineering) Group’s 7,950m3 dual-fuel trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) Scheldt River was launched 14 January at Royal IHC’s shipyard in Krimpen aan den IJssel, The Netherlands.
“After the successful launch of the world’s first LNG-powered hopper Minerva on 3 December, I am delighted to see Scheldt River – the second IHC-built TSHD capable of operating on LNG – nearing completion,” says IHC’s Executive Director Shipbuilding, Arjan Klijnsoon.
The Scheldt River is equipped with one 12-cylinder and one 9-cylinder Wärtsilä 34DF engine, two Wärtsilä controllable pitch propellers and two transverse thrusters and the company’s patented LNGPac gas supply and storage system.
IHC has developed a two-speed propulsion drive which, in contrast to conventional single speed propulsion, ensures fuel savings when sailing at lower speeds. Scheldt River and Minerva are the first TSHDs to benefit from this innovation.
Another innovation is the newly developed wing-shaped bow thruster tunnel. This new shape is the result of extensive hydrodynamic analyses and improves the bow thruster performance.
“With this new generation of dual fuel hoppers, DEME is setting new standards in environmental performance for the dredging industry, and we are proud to be at the forefront of these developments,” says Alain Bernard, Director and CEO DEME Group. “Both the Scheldt River and Minerva will comply with the strictest international and local environmental regulations.”
(Source: Royal IHC)
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