Eastern cuts steel for Great Lakes ATB hopper dredge

On Sept. 15, Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company and Eastern Shipbuilding Group cut steel that marked the beginning of construction on a new 433' trailing suction hopper dredge ATB. The cutting ceremony for the dredge barge took place at the under roof pre-fabrication building at Eastern's Allanton facility in Panama City, Fla. The indoor pre-fab building supports both of Eastern’s new construction facilities.

Named the Ellis Island (ESG Hull 253), the detailed engineering is being handled by Bay Engineering, based on an Ocean Tug & Barge Engineering ATB design. The GLDD trailing suction hopper dredge ATB will be delivered in 2016.

The dredge barge ATB features the following specs:

Dimensions (Overall): 433’x 92’x 36’
Hopper Capacity: 15,000 CYS
Dredge System Power: (2) EMD ME20G7C-T3, 5,000 HP each
Bowthrusters: (2) Schottel STT2 electric, fixed pitch tunnel unit, 800 HP each
Harbor Service Genset: (1) Caterpillar C32-T3 910kW @ 1,800 RPM
Classification: ABS A1, AMS, unmanned cargo barge and certified under SOLAS/IMO/MARPOL.
Flag & Regulatory: USA, USCG, 33/46CFR NVIC Publications, Certificated “I” Unmanned.

Douglas B Mackie ATB Tug:

Dimensions (Overall): 158'4"x 52'x 32'9"
Horsepower: 15,662 BHP
ATB Coupler System: (2) Taisei Coupler Systems
Main Engines: (2) Mak 12M32C-T3, 7,831HP each
Main Generators: (2) 2,500kW, 6600VAC shaft generator
Auxiliary Generator: (1) Caterpillar C32-T3 730kW @ 1,800 RPM
Emergency Generator: (1) Caterpillar C18-T3 550kW @ 1,800 RPM
Classification: ABS A1, AMS, ACCU, Oceans Towing Vessel Unlimited Service additional notations ILO, and certified under SOLAS/IMO/MARPOL.
Flag & Regulatory: USA, USCG Dual-Mode ITB, 33/46CFR
Subchapters, E, F, G, I, J, M, Q and S

The Great Lakes ATB hopper dredge will be a key tool in performing the restoration of the eroded land mass in the Gulf Coast. The vessel’s ability to deepen and maintain navigable waterways will help the U.S. be more competitive in world trade, as U.S. ports move forward with deepening plans to accommodate the larger vessels that will sail through the expanded Panama Canal.