Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd (Keppel O&M), through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Keppel Singmarine Pte Ltd (Keppel Singmarine) has delivered the world's first European Union (EU) Stage V dredger on time, within budget and with a perfect safety record, strengthening its presence in the non-oil and gas segment, the company said in its release.
Built for Jan De Nul and named Afonso de Albuquerque, the ultra-low emission Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger (TSHD) is diesel-electrical powered and comes equipped with an efficient exhaust gas filter system. The resultant emission complies with the requirements of the EU Stage V standardsi, which set stricter limits on emissions. The second and third dredgers for Jan De Nul are expected to be delivered later this quarter.
The first-of-its-kind dredger was built in Keppel's shipyard in Nantong, China, to the requirements of classification society Bureau Veritas. It is able to dredge to a maximum depth of 27.6m and has a hopper capacity of 3,500 m3.
Designed with a shallow draught and high manoeuvrability, the TSHD is suitable for work in confined areas. The dredger will be used for dredging loose and soft soils such as sand, gravel, silt or clay. The dredged material can be deposited on the seabed through bottom doors or discharged through a floating pipeline to shore and used for land reclamation.
Including the four dredgers for Jan De Nul, Keppel is currently building six dredgers of various hopper capacities ranging from 3,500m3 to 10,500m3. This includes two dual-fuel dredgers capable of running on LNG.
About Keppel O&M / Keppel Singmarine
Keppel O&M is a global leader in offshore rig design, construction and repair, ship repair and conversion, and specialised shipbuilding. It integrates and harnesses the experience and expertise of yards and offices in 15 countries to be near customers and markets.
Keppel Singmarine is the specialised shipbuilding arm of Keppel O&M, with a track record of designing and building over 400 ships of various specifications and functions, spanning from Anchor Handling Tug/Supply vessels, Multi-Purpose Offshore Support vessels and tugboats to highly advanced solutions such as icebreakers and ice-class support vessels.