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Dutch shipyard Royal IHC and Belgiums DEME group enhance their cooperation on LNG driven dredgers. Now the largest cutter suction dredger was ordered.

The specialist shipyard has been awarded a contract for the design, construction and delivery of the »Spartacus«. This is a 44,1[ds_preview]80kW self-propelled cutter suction dredger (CSD), which will be 164 m long. According to an official release, the concept and basic design was done in close cooperation with DEME, Vuyk Engineering Rotterdam (a 100% subsidiary of IHC) and IHC.

The partner emphasize, that »Spartacus« will be the world’s first LNG-powered CSD and follows the order for the first LNG-powered trailing suction hopper dredgers (TSHDs) »Minerva« and »Scheldt River«, and ‘LNG-ready’ »Bonny River«, that are currently under construction at IHC’s shipyards.

The four main diesel engines can run on LNG, MDO and HFO, and the two auxiliary engines have dual-fuel technology. »The application of LNG to power TSHDs has proven to be a very complex puzzle. In close cooperation with DEME, the two organisations have managed to fit all the pieces together. The »Spartacus« will benefit from this joint effort and forward-thinking and represents a new milestone in the industry«, IHC said.

For further »green« purposes, the will also have other innovations on board, it was added, such as a waste heat recovery system that converts heat from the exhaust gasses to electrical energy. The dredge control is arranged for a one-man operation. The vessel will have a heavy-duty cutter ladder and can reach a dredging depth of 45m.

»We can state that this CSD is the largest and most complex that IHC has ever built,« said IHC‘s CEO Dave Vander Heyde. »The combination of power, size and innovations makes it a true challenge to build. We are proud and honoured that DEME has again placed their trust in us. We are pleased to note that IHC’s strategy, which focuses on developing and producing high added value equipment, and integrated vessels is starting to pay off.«

»This cutter suction dredger is going to be an important benchmark for the industry and a huge step toward limiting the environmental impact of our vessels,« said DEME’s Head of Construction and Conversion Jan Gabriel.