Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd (Keppel O&M) has delivered its fifth Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger (TSHD) to Jan De Nul Group with a perfect safety record.

Ortelius, a 6000m³ TSHD, is the fifth dredger that Keppel O&M has delivered to Jan De Nul Group, following the delivery of three 3500m³ TSHDs and one 6000m³ TSHD last year. All five are Ultra-Low Emission vessels (ULEv) and the world’s first European Union (EU) Stage V dredgers.

In line with Keppel’s Vision 2030 which puts sustainability at the heart of our strategy, Keppel O&M is providing value-added solutions to support the reduction of carbon emissions in the industry.

Mr Tan Leong Peng, Managing Director (New Builds) of Keppel O&M, said, “The delivery of a fifth dredger is testament to Keppel O&M’s newbuild capabilities and technological expertise. Our partnership with Jan De Nul Group has grown from strength to strength, and we are pleased to have delivered all five Ultra-Low Emission dredgers to Jan De Nul Group safely and efficiently, harnessing our holistic construction methodology.

“Despite the impact of COVID-19, we optimised operations while implementing safe management measures, and diversified our supply chain network, thus enabling us to catch up on work in a safe and efficient manner.”

Ortelius is fitted with a two-stage filtering technique for exhaust gases. Built to the requirements of the EU Stage V^[1] and International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) Tier III regulations^[2], Ortelius is diesel-electric driven and able to dredge to a maximum depth of 35m. It features a shallow draught, is highly manoeuvrable, and is suitable for working in confined areas.

Mr Robby De Backer, Director of Newbuilding Department of Jan De Nul Group, said, “Ortelius, like all our new dredgers, allows dredging at the lowest levels of emissions to date. The Jan De Nul Group and Keppel teams worked closely to overcome the challenges caused by COVID-19 and expedite the delivery of Ortelius. We are proud to partner with industry leader Keppel, who has through their engineering expertise and excellent service, provided assurance in the safe delivery of high-quality vessels.”