As Afloat reports, a Dutch shipyard group has signed a contract with UK Dredging (UKD) for a trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) for delivery in 2028, writes Jehan Ashmore.
A former UKD fleet member, UKD Dolphin, in the late 2000s carried out dredging across the Irish Sea at Dun Laoghaire Harbour during the Stena HSS fast-ferry era to Holyhead. Another but larger TSHD, the Freeway, is the latest dredger to call at the Irish port, having arrived on Monday to undergo engine repairs, as reported yesterday.
Although the Freeway is operated by the Dutch company Boskalis, its UK subsidiary, Westminster Dredging, works in collaboration with the Cork-based contractor Irish Dredging to provide services for the domestic market, including at Dublin Port, where the 2014-built dredger has previously operated.
However, Freeway’s arrival at Dún Laoghaire due to repairs on the 12-year-old dredger is a setback, as it follows operations that commenced at the weekend at Dublin Port, from where spoil was discharged on a repeated basis off Burford Bank in Dublin Bay.
As Afloat observed on Sunday mid-afternoon, the inbound Freeway was off the entrance to Dublin Port to carry out further dredging. At the same time, outbound, the UK’s Royal Navy 'River' class fisheries protection vessel HMS Mersey exited the entrance following a courtesy call.
With the Freeway encountering engine issues, the 92m dredger the next day proceeded at dawn to Dun Laoghaire Harbour to enable repairs to be carried out alongside Carlisle Pier. As previously reported, the timeframe to complete repairs could take two weeks before dredging can resume.
Prior to the call to the capital, the Cypriot-flagged dredger had conducted operations at the Port of Waterford.
