First dredger-twin launched

摘要

Royal Boskalis' latest trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD), the 137m Gateway was launched at the IHC Merwede Offshore & Marine yard in Hardinxveld-Giessendam, The Netherlands at the end of September.rnThe yard signed the deal to design and build two sister dredgers in November 2007 and, unusually, both vessels are now under construction at the same time in two different IHC Merwede yards. The twin dredger is being built at the Kinderdijk yard where it will be launched in February 2010.rnThe keel for the Gateway was laid in February this year and the completion of the vessel is expected in the first quarter of next year. The dredgers will have a 12,000m~3 hopper capacity and a suction pipe of 1200mm in diameter. The ships will have a maximum dredging depth of 62m and will have accommodation for 24 crew and a top speed of 15.4knots.