Dutch-designed dredger launched in China

The dredger was ordered from IHC Merwede by Yangtze Estuary Waterway Administration Bureau. It is a sister ship to Chang Jiang Kou 01 which was launched in 2011 at IHC Merwede’s Kinderdijk shipyard in The Netherlands. Chang Jiang Kou 02 is scheduled for delivery to the customer in the first quarter of 2013, and IHC says that work is proceeding to schedule.

The two dredgers were designed specifically to cope with the high-current velocity and particular soil properties of the Yangtze River in mind, including fitting the patented IHC Merwede Wild Dragon draghead. The 132m length oa sister ships are designed for a dredging depth of 25m, with a speed of 15knots, and each can accommodate 37 personnel.