Damen Shipyards Group and Associated British Ports (ABP) have signed a new contract for the construction of a Trailing Suction Grab Hopper Dredger.
The agreement, which was concluded in March through ABP’s subsidiary UK Dredging (UKD), marks a milestone in a long-standing collaboration between the two organisations, as well as the growing capability of UKD.
A year ago, Damen delivered the UKD Seadragon, a Shoalbuster 2711 WID (water injection dredger), to ABP. This latest order aims to further strengthen the partnership between the companies, as well as reflect their ongoing commitment to support efficient and sustainable dredging operations.
UKD is responsible for providing essential dredging services across ports and waterways across the United Kingdom, and the new dredger is set to play a crucial role in maintaining navigational depths and supporting safe, efficient vessel access to ABP’s ports.
The vessel, based on the Damen TSHD 1000 design, has been customised to meet the specific operational needs of UKD. Construction will be carried out at the Ha Long Shipyard, and is expected to be complete and ready for maintenance duties in ports across the United Kingdom in 2028.
Equipped with an electrically driven grab crane; the vessel will be fitted with a diesel-electric propulsion system incorporating an energy storage system, as well as a Damen aftertreatment ULEV‑compliant exhaust system featuring SCR and DPF filters.
Mark Pearson, General Manager of UKD:We are delighted to deepen our partnership with Damen on this important addition to our fleet, further boosting UKD’s sector leading capability. The new TSHD 1000 will enhance our ability to maintain ports across the UK efficiently and sustainably, supporting our mission to provide reliable dredging services for our customers as a key part of ABP’s mission Keeping Britain Trading.
The new multi-purpose TSHD 1000 is designed to support UKD’s commitment to sustainable and efficient port maintenance.
