Charles Darwin Completes Jan De Nul Program

Belgian dredging giant Jan De Nul completed a massive fleet renewal program with the launch of the trailing suction hopper dredger 'Charles Darwin'.
Built at the shipyard Construcciones Navales del Norte in Sestao, Spain, the godmother of the ship was Charlotte Putz-De Nul, daughter of Mrs. Ghislaine De Nul, sister of Jan Pieter De Nul and Dirk De Nul, directors of the family owned company.
This new dredger has a capacity of 30,500 cu/m, a draught loaded of only 12m and a length of 161.5 m, which combined with three thrusters of 1,350 kW each results in a high capacity vessel suitable for operation in shallow or confined waters.
The relatively low propulsion power of twin 10,800 kW engines still delivers a maximum speed of 16 knots due to the optimized design of the vessel’s hull form and the use of specially designed propeller nozzles. These features result in low fuel consumption and lowered emissions. When the vessel sails with only 5m under its keel it will still be capable of 14.1 knots.
Two suction pipes of 1,200mm diameter, each equipped with a submerged dredge pumps of 3,400 kW are installed. Double walled, electrically driven shore discharging dredge pumps with a total power of 15,000 kW will enable discharging the load at a high rate over long distances.
Delivery is expected by the end of this year. Jan De Nul’s newbuild program has included the 46,000 cu/m capacity trailing suction hopper dredgers Leiv Eiriksson and Cristóbal Colón from the same shipyard ranging down to the 3,400 cu/m capacity trailers Alvar Nunez Cabeca de Vaca and Sebastiano Caboto.