Pacific Shipyards International to overhaul dredger Essayons

Pacific Shipyards International LLC, Honolulu, Hawaii, has won an $8.8 million firm-fixed-price contract for the shipyard overhaul of the dredge vessel Essayons.

Bids for this contract were solicited via the internet with three received, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) said.

Work will be performed in Honolulu, Hawaii, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 20, 2026.

“Fiscal 2025 operation and maintenance, civil funds in the amount of $8,797,174 were obligated at the time of the award,” DoD said.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District, is the contracting activity.

The hopper dredger Essayons, operated by a merchant marine crew, was delivered to the Portland District in 1983.

The Essayons helps maintain the entrance bars, rivers and harbors on the coasts of California, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, Alaska and, in emergencies, the Mississippi River.

Because of its size and dredging depth, the Essayons is particularly well-suited for dredging the larger coastal entrances and larger volume sand deposits in river channels.