Hanson UK has given the green light to Damen Shipyards Gorinchem to build a new marine aggregate dredger to join its fleet.
Hanson says the investment is part of a strategy to replace its existing aggregates fleet. On delivery, expected in the first quarter of 2021, the dredger will operate as part of Hanson Aggregates Marine, a European producer of marine-dredged sand and gravel.
According to Hanson, the new vessel will provide increased payload and efficiency, allowing it carry up to 7,000 tonnes of marine aggregates per trip, as well as improved fuel consumption and operational and maintenance savings.
Other benefits include:
- Focus on safety, performance and sustainability
- Reduced maintenance, increasing uptime
- Modular design allows easy replacement of worn parts
- Exceptional stability offering crew comfort and the capability to work in rough seas
- Fast and efficient dry-side unloading
Simon Willis, chief executive officer, says: “Marine aggregates are critical to Hanson’s UK business as they are used in around half of our ready-mixed concrete plants and are becoming more and more important due to the increasing scarcity of land-won sand and gravel, particularly around London and south east England.
“Working sustainably is a key priority for us and, while the use of marine aggregates reduces the need for quarrying on land as well as the associated transport emissions, dredging the seabed brings with it a responsibility to protect the marine environment.”
