Van Oord’s new LNG-powered sister vessels join forces protecting the Dutch coast
Van Oord’s two newest identical trailing suction hopper dredgers Vox Ariane and Vox Apolonia were working together to reinforce the coastline off the coast of Zeeland, both powered by the sustainable fuel LNG, according to the company's release.
The project concerns beach nourishment works along the Dutch coast. These works are part of the Netherlands’ Coastline Care programme of Rijkswaterstaat, the executive agency of the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, intended to reinforce the Dutch coast.
Van Oord’s scope includes beach- and trench wall replenishment at the Westkapelse Zeedijk, Oostgat and Nieuwvliet-Groede in the province of Zeeland. During beach replenishment, sand is pumped to the beach by a trailing suction hopper dredger via a pipeline. Applying this replenishment method allows to stabilise the coastline, protecting coastal communities and infrastructure. In total, approximately 4 million cubic metres of sand will be applied.
Vox Ariane and Vox Apolonia are running on LNG during the project execution, a more sustainable alternative for Marine Gas Oil (MGO), free of sulphur and particulates. The combustion process is also different to that of MGO, resulting in far less nitrogen dioxide being emitted.
Vox Apolonia and Vox Ariane are part of a series of three brand new trailing suction hopper dredgers that are being added to the company's fleet. The third sister vessel Vox Alexia will be christened this September. These vessels will help Van Oord to further modernise its fleet, making it more innovative and energy efficient. Their LNG fuel system and energy-efficient design will reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions substantially. It is precisely for this reason that the three vessels were presented with the Dutch Maritime KVNR Shipping Award in 2022. According to the jury, Van Oord's introduction of the three vessels marks it as 'a trailblazer for international standards aimed at minimising climate and environmental impact within the available technological capabilities’.
