DAMEN needs no introduction when it comes to marine vessel manufacturing. Damen has created a name for themselves and cemented in their position in producing vessels for a number of applications. Fast Ferries or Patrol vessels, Tug Boats or crew boats, you name and Damen makes it for you. The second Damen Marine Aggregate Dredger 3500 has entered service.
Damen’s new Marine Aggregate Dredger (MAD 3500) class has successfully completed its sea testing. She has been in service with her owner, Hanson UK, a significant provider of construction materials to the UK market, since January 2022, replacing an old vessel. With a substantial portion of the English dredging fleet already several decades old, the MAD 3500 provides a chance for other dredging companies. It allows them to benefit from key advancements in aggregate dredging design and technology, as well as the efficiencies that come with it, via a proven format from a leading shipbuilder.
Damen’s design team consulted with industry experts as well as its own repair yards, which have been servicing dredgers for many years, and its dredging mission equipment manufacturing business. Damen is a one-stop shop for all things dredging, thanks to these and its own ship design and construction skills. As a consequence, although the new design is identical in size to its predecessors from the twentieth century, the MAD 3500 is an entirely new class that is a quantum leap forward in terms of both the volume of goods it can transport (20 per cent more) and operating expenses per tonne.
These are made possible not only by the current propulsion systems’ increased fuel efficiency but also by their ability to perform operations with just one engine. It is also intended to run 24 hours a day, seven days a week with just nine staff members. Dredging can be done with just two people on the bridge at a time, including an engineer. The whole vessel can be unloaded in two to three hours and is completely automated.
The vessel’s operability is maximized by designing simplicity of maintenance into the design from the beginning. This is accomplished in part via the use of modular systems, which allow for the replacement of problematic components while the defective device is shipped away for testing and repair. This is aided and augmented by the use of Damen’s Triton remote monitoring and analysis system, which allows for ongoing optimization and preventative maintenance. This is accomplished by deploying ship-wide sensors to provide operational data to the bridge and onshore management in real-time for study.
The Hanson Thames started construction at Damen Shipyards Galati at the end of 2019 and, although based on the original MAD 3500 design, she benefitted from previous build experience and had minor alterations to satisfy her specific operating needs. Damen’s philosophy has always been to combine standardization where feasible with customization where necessary, and the MAD 3500 class may be adjusted to match the demands of individual operators without sacrificing performance.
The modular screening tower onboard the MAD 3500 is a key technology that permits material hauled up from the seabed to be sifted as it comes on board rather than after it gets land. This allows it to keep just the grades that are in high demand and release the remainder to the seafloor. It becomes even more efficient and lucrative as a result. Another option is to use the Damen Offshore Bow. This completely encloses the foredeck, protecting both cargo and equipment while also providing superb seakeeping. The mooring system is also a first. The MAD 3500 is built around flow lines to guarantee safe and efficient mooring at all times, and the inclusion of telescoping spud poles allows it to maintain position without the need of lines or the need for regular adjustment.
The Damen Galati Shipyard launched the Hanson Thames in September 2020, with COVID-19 at its apex. Because many of the suppliers and subcontractors were nearby, the project was finished with minimum disturbance.
Damen has recently established a Service Hub in the nearby Port of Southampton to support the Hanson Thames and other Damen vessels. The Service Hub will enable Damen to provide full, through-life support as well as act as a repository of knowledge and critical components for these specialized vessels. With the retirement of a large portion of the current North Sea fleet of aggregate dredgers, many of which are headquartered in the United Kingdom, the value of this resource is likely to rise over time.
