A unit of Singapore’s Keppel Offshore & Marine has launched a new LNG-powered trailing suction hopper dredger for Dutch firm Van Oord.
Keppel Singmarine launched Vox Apolonia, the second out of three sister vessels on order at Keppel, on Monday, according to the Dutch marine contractor.
This vessel follows the float out of LNG-powered Vox Ariane in January this year.
All of the three 10,500 cbm vessels will have accommodation for 22 persons, a green passport, and clean ship notation, Van Oord said.
Also, they will feature dual-fuel engines meaning they will be able to run on both liquefied natural gas and marine gas oil.
Equipped with a suction pipe with a submerged e-driven dredge pump, the vessels will also have two shore discharge dredge pumps, five bottom doors, and total installed power of 14,500 kW.
In addition, these LNG hoppers will replace existing vessels and fit in with Van Oord’s aim of making the firm’s fleet more energy efficient and reduce emissions.
To remind, Van Oord signed last year its first-ever green loan to fund the new LNG-powered dredgers. The firm signed the loan with Dutch Rabobank and France’s BNP Paribas.
Van Oord previously said it had expected to take delivery of Vox Ariane this year, followed by Vox Apolonia and Vox Alexia in 2022.
“We expect all three hoppers ready to sail out in 2022,” a Van Oord spokesperson told LNG Prime in an emailed comment.