Eastern Shipbuilding Group has laid keel for the new trailing suction hopper dredge, the R.B. Weeks.
The ceremony took place last week at the Eastern Florida facility.
The 6,540m³ R.B. Weeks is named after the co-founder of the company and the husband of Magdalen Weeks. This is an identical vessel to TSHD MAGDALEN, delivered to Weeks in 2017.
Also involved in this project is Royal IHC by providing their Class approved engineering package.
Like the MADGALEN, the R.B. Weeks will have IHC-designed and built equipment. This includes the complete and highly efficient dredging installation, dredging automation and instrumentation, propulsion and main electrical system.
The delivery of R.B. Weeks is set for early 1Q 2023.