Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation (GLDD) has taken delivery of the new build ATB hopper dredge Ellis Island and tug Douglas B. Mackie after successful completion of United States Coast Guard and American Bureau of Shipping regulatory sea trials.
David Simonelli, President, Dredging Division commented: “ We are excited to take delivery of this advanced vessel which improves the competitiveness of our hopper group and represents a substantial reinvestment in our fleet. The Ellis Island significantly increases the United States commercial Jones Act hopper fleet capacity as the largest hopper dredge in the United States market, with a carrying capacity of 15,000 cubic yards.”
Lasse Petterson, Chief Executive Officer said : “ This addition to our fleet represents a great milestone in Great Lakes’ history. The Ellis Island is capable of meeting the current and future U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’, State and U.S. Ports’ deepening, coastal protection, coastal restoration and maintenance dredging infrastructure demands. The Ellis Island’s haul capacity and dredging systems will yield more efficient and faster project execution .”
According to GLDD, the company will perform U.S. Coast Guard emergency crew drills today and expects to receive the Certificates of Inspection thereafter.
Upon receipt of the Certificates of Inspection, the Ellis Island and tug Douglas B. Mackie will depart Eastern Shipbuilding Group’s Allanton facility in Panama City, Florida for the Mississippi Coastal Improvement Program project and start operations on this important long haul coastal restoration project.