Cashman to Expand Its Fleet with New Hopper Dredge

Cashman Dredging and Marine Contracting Co., LLC said it has signed a design contract with IHC America Inc. for a new 6,500 cubic yard trailing suction hopper dredge (TSHD).

The new vessel will join Cashman Dredging’s current fleet of specialized dredging equipment and will primarily service the coastal protection and navigation maintenance markets when it enters service in 2024, the company said. Cashman has not yet determined which shipyard will build the new dredge, a company representative told MarineLink.

"This IHC dredge design will not only be one of the most technologically advanced dredges in the country with the latest safety features, but it will also allow Cashman to easily maneuver in shallow draft areas, providing the company with greater dredge project versatility," said Rafael Habib, sales director at Houston-based IHC America.

"Innovation has always been a driving force at Cashman," said Jay Cashman, founder and chairman of the board of the Quincy, Mass.-based marine construction and dredging contractor. "It’s the key to the company’s continued success in creating the next generation of modern infrastructure, in revitalizing the nation’s ports and waterways, in preserving the environment, and in providing alternative sources of clean energy.

"This capital investment design announcement made today not only reflects Cashman’s unwavering commitment to this core principle but also demonstrates our dedication to supporting the nation’s infrastructure needs in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and to protecting U.S. economic and national security."

The U.S. is in the midst of a dredge building boom, and Cashman's new TSHD is among several dredges presently planned, on order or under construction across the U.S. that will help dredging contractors to keep America’s ports and waterways open, safeguard coastal communities and maintain the vital flow of maritime commerce.