Caterpillar to Power Jan De Nul’s New Hopper Dredgers

Jan De Nul Group’s three new 3,500 m³ Trailing Suction Hopper Dredgers will be powered by the Cat 3500E IMO III & EPA Tier 4 certified engines, reports Caterpillar Marine.

The Cat 3500E features Selective Catalyst Reduction (SCR) after-treatment technology with closed loop NOx sensing and application optimized performance for minimized owning and operating costs.

According to Javier Soria, territory sales manager for Caterpillar Marine, the 3500E series builds upon the legacy and reliability of the Cat 3500 engine platform, providing customers up to 20 percent greater power density, 10 percent greater fuel efficiency, enhanced durability, and longer life to overhaul while reducing owning and operating costs.

“Dredgers are typically operated around the clock,” said Soria, “so minimizing downtime is intensely important for our customers. SCR was the right technology since it introduced minor changes to the engine itself and made use of one of the most proven emissions reduction technologies within Caterpillar.”

“The key goal of Jan de Nul Group with these new 3500m3 TSHDs was to bring the certified cleanest vessels to the dredging market. We decided to limit emissions below EU Stage V, which is the most stringent emissions regulations in the marine industry so we focused on three key aspects: engineering the most efficient engine room, optimal power management, and making use of exhaust gas aftertreatment systems,” said Michel Deruyck, fuel coordinator for Jan de Nul Group.

“We quickly realized that the Total Fluid Optimization of the 3512E was unmatched and proven. Thanks to all these measures, we anticipate yearly savings of half a million liters of fuel per vessel running the engines in fuel optimized mode, That’s nearly a 9 percent cut in our fuel bill but more importantly, a direct reduction in greenhouse gas emissions” added Deruyck.

The 3500E is manufactured in Caterpillar’s flagship large engine manufacturing center in Lafayette, Indiana.

The three new TSHDs are being built at the Keppel Nantong Shipyard, a subsidiary of Keppel Offshore & Marine. Delivery of the first two dredgers is scheduled for the second half of 2018 and construction of the third will need a a notice from Jan De Nul to exercise the option.