Alabama Shipyard to Repair USACE's Largest Hopper Dredge Wheeler

Mobile, Ala. ship repair yard  Alabama Shipyard has been awarded a contract to repair the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE) largest trailing suction hopper dredge, Wheeler.

Alabama Shipyard was one of three bidders for the contract, winning the drydock and repair deal with its $11,466,912 bid. The contract was awarded by the Corps' New Orleans District, which owns and operates the dredge to keep waterway channels clear from Key West, Fla., to Brownsville, Texas.

The repair work, which includes maintenance to the vessel's, hull, hopper and dredging systems among other tasks, is scheduled to be completed by December 6, 2024.

The largest hopper dredge in the USACE fleet, the 408-foot long Wheeler was commissioned in 1982 and today spends most of its time operating in the Southwest Pass of the Mississippi River, dealing with shoaling problems that occur during high and low water. On a good operating day, it can remove 100,000 cubic yards of material from a project site, according to the Army Corps.

The USACE also keeps Wheeler in a state of readiness to be deployed worldwide operations when needed.