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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hopper dredge vessels Essayons and Yaquina are ready for the next dredging season, following a four-month maintenance period.
The annual dry docking of ships, taking place during fall/winter maintenance season, is done to carry out major repairs, surveys and upgrades which allow them to perform most efficiently during the dredging season.
According to USACE, the hopper dredge Essayons is headed to Longview, Washington, for its first dredging work in 2024, and the dredge Yaquina will soon be on its way to Humboldt Bay, California, after a little sand sucking at Grays Harbor, Washington.
The two massive seagoing vessels spend April through November sucking up sand, silt, and sediments from the floor of the region’s entrance bars, rivers, and harbors to maintain them for safe and reliable ship transit.
These vessels operate in Oregon, Washington, California, Hawaii, Alaska, and, in emergencies, the Mississippi River.