New dredgers will reduce fuel use and CO2 emissions

Construction of two new ships for the marine aggregates fleet is under way. The trailing suction hopper dredgers are being built by the Dutch shipbuilder Barkmeijer at its yard at Stroobos in the Netherlands and are scheduled to enter service in 2019.

They are the first new vessels to be commissioned for over 25 years in what, at €70 million, will be the largest single investment in the UK business since 2006.

The new dredgers will be equivalent in size to Hanson’s existing A-Class vessels, carrying up to 5,500 tonnes of sand and gravel. They will be able to load and discharge cargoes much faster, creating major efficiency improvements, and will also provide substantial improvements in fuel consumption, reliability and CO2 emissions.

CEO Daniel Cooper said: “This significant investment is the first step in a strategic replacement programme for our existing fleet of seven dredgers, which deliver marine aggregates into a network of wharves in the UK and continental Europe. It is also a key part of our overall strategic plan.

“Marine dredged sand and gravel is critical to the UK business. It used in around half of our 180 ready-mixed concrete plants and is becoming more and more important due to the increasing scarcity of land-won sand and gravel, particularly around London and south east England.”

The two-year build programme will be overseen by an internal and external project management team to ensure the design specification is followed and the timeline stays on track.