Wärtsilä wins Hopper Dredger Propulsion Deal

The technology group Wärtsilä has again been selected by the Netherlands-based shipbuilding company Damen Shipyards Group to provide the main propulsion solutions for a large Marine Aggregate Dredger (MAD). 

The dredger is being built for the U.K. company Hanson Aggregates, a leading supplier of heavy building materials for the construction industry. The order with Wärtsilä was signed in May 2019.

An identically designed vessel from Damen, which is expected to begin operations within the coming few months, is also fitted with the same Wärtsilä solutions. The scope includes two Wärtsilä 26 engines, two Wärtsilä controllable pitch propellers (CPP), and the Wärtsilä ProTouch bridge control system. Wärtsilä will prepare the engines ready for use with selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology to reduce emissions, making the vessel compliant with the International Maritime Organization’s Tier III regulations. When in operation, the 103-meter long dredger will be one of the most environmentally sustainable ships of its type in service.

The Wärtsilä equipment is scheduled to be delivered to the yard in the early part of 2020.