Eastern Shipbuilding Group launches R.B. WEEKS trailing suction hopper dredge
Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. (ESG) successfully launched the R.B. WEEKS, the second trailing suction hopper dredge. This new 356-foot trailing suction hopper dredge is being constructed at ESG’s Allanton Shipyard and has a hopper capacity of 8,550 cubic yards. The vessel outfitting and trials will be conducted at Eastern’s Port St. Joe Facility for an on-time delivery in 2023.
In nearly all respects, the R.B. WEEKS is identical to the M/V MAGDALEN delivered by ESG in 2017. The vessel includes an electrical power, propulsion, and dredge machinery package by Royal IHC, GE Tier IV engines, along with several accommodation and crew comfort upgrades.
Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. (ESG) is a leading shipbuilder with operations on the Florida Gulf Coast. ESG is the largest private sector employer in Bay County and is a 2017 recipient of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Small Business of the Year award. They build world class vessels for national defense and commercial clients, including the U.S. Coast Guard’s Heritage Class Offshore Patrol Cutters. With three shipyards and a portfolio of over 350 vessels, ESG is known as one of the most diverse vessel construction companies.
Established in 1919, Weeks Marine, Inc. is one of the largest marine, dredging and tunneling contractors in North America and has successfully completed projects throughout North and South America, from inland waterways to off-shore sites in the Pacific and the Atlantic. Weeks Marine has three key divisions – Construction, Dredging and Marine Services – which are bolstered by three major subsidiaries, Healy Tibbitts Builders, Inc., McNally International, Inc. and North American Aggregates.
