dws-ihc-impression-spartacus-770px-1Royal IHC has been awarded a contract for the design, construction and delivery of a self-propelled cutter suction dredger for Belgian dredging company DEME.

The newly built CSD, called Spartacus, will be 164 metres long. With an installed engine power of 44,180 kW it will be the largest cutter suction dredger in the world.

The Spartacus will also be the world’s first LNG-powered CSD and follows the order of the first LNG-powered Trailing Suction Hopper Dredgers (TSHD) ‘Minerva’ and ‘Scheldt River’.

dws-ihc-spartacus-launch-tshd-scheldt-350px DEME’s dual fuel trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD), Scheldt river, during the launch ceremony last January at Royal IHC's shipyard in Krimpen aan den IJssel, the Netherlands.

Dual-fuel technology
According to the specification released by Royal IHC its 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 for the Dutch ship builder.

In close cooperation with DEME, Royal IHC and Vuyk Engineering Rotterdam have managed to fit all the pieces together.

One-man operation
Other innovations on board will include 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 45 m.

dws-ihc-spartacus-launch-tshd-jun-yang1-350px Last year Royal IHC completed the delivery of the world largest trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD), Jun Yang for the Chinese dredging firm CCCC Guangzhou Dredging Co.

Benchmark for dredging industry
“We can state that this CSD is the largest and most complex that IHC has ever built,” said IHC's CEO Dave Vander Heyde. He thanked DEME for giving his company the opportunity to build the world’s first LNG-powered cutter suction dredger.

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.”

DEME’s Head of Construction and Conversion, Jan Gabriel, emphasized the commitment to green initiatives. “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”.

This news item was originally published on the websites of Royal IHC and DEME.

Read also on this website
Royal IHC completes largest trailing suction hopper dredger for China, 17 August 2016
Royal IHC secures order for upgraded Easydredge trailing suction hopper dredger in Cuba, 6 June 2016
IHC Merwede launches new series low budget hopper dredger Easydredge, 21 August 2012

More information
Royal IHC
Sliedrecht, the Netherlands
+31 184 41 15 55
www.royalihc.com