Van Oord’s largest self-propelled cutter suction dredger Athena was named and launched at the IHC Merwede shipyard in Kinderdijk on 12 February last. The Athena is the largest ever cutter suction dredger built in the Netherlands for a Dutch dredging company. What is more, the Athena is one of the largest cutter suction dredgers in the world. The vessel will be operational in October 2011.
The vessel is Van Oord’s first self-propelled cutter suction dredger. The ceremony was performed by Mrs A.M. van Oord-Groen, the wife of Mr J.G. van Oord Sr. (formerly both chairman and supervisory director of Van Oord).