The launch ceremony for DEME’s 7,950m3 dual fuel trailing suction hopper dredger Scheldt River took place on 14 January at Royal IHC's shipyard in Krimpen aan den IJssel, The Netherlands.
“After the successful launch of the world’s first LNG-powered hopper, Minerva, on 3 December, I am delighted to see Scheldt River – the second IHC-built trailer capable of operating on LNG – nearing completion,” said IHC's Executive Director Shipbuilding, Arjan Klijnsoon. “To further optimise fuel consumption and reduce emissions, IHC has equipped this vessel with new innovations, driven by market developments and customer demand.”
IHC has also developed a two-speed propulsion drive for the vessels. In contrast to conventional single speed propulsion, the IHC-patented two-speed gearbox ensures fuel savings when sailing at lower speeds. Schedlt River and Minerva are the first trailers to benefit from this innovation.
Another innovation is a newly developed wing-shaped bow thruster tunnel. This new shape is the result of extensive hydrodynamic analyses and improves the bow thruster performance.
