Eric Ellefsen News

The November edition of Marine News magazine highlighted a selection of the most notable American newbuilds delivered of 2023—from a first-of-its-kind green towboat, to the lead vessel in a series of game-changing ships to train U.S. mariners.Empire StateAs the lead vessel in a series of five new training ships being constructed to serve America's state maritime academies, Empire State is easily one of the most important U.S.-built vessels delivered in recent memory.Built by Philly Shipyard for the U.S.

Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. (ESG) on Monday announced the delivery of R.B. Weeks, a 8,550 cubic yard capacity trailing suction hopper dredge constructed for Weeks Marine, Inc.“It’s our pleasure to once again deliver a quality vessel on time and on budget to our valued customers at Weeks Marine, Inc.,” said Joey D’Isernia, president of Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. “The R.B. Weeks joins an impressive fleet that works alongside the Army Corps of Engineers to preserve our treasured waterways.”Despite building the vessel through the height of the COVID pandemic…

Omaha-headquartered construction company Kiewit Corporation on January 1, 2023 completed its acquisition of Cranford, N.J.-based marine construction and dredging contractor Weeks Marine and its subsidiaries for an undisclosed amount.Weeks Marine and its subsidiaries Healy Tibbitts Builders, McNally International and North American Aggregates will be independently branded subsidiaries of Kiewit.“This acquisition offers substantial opportunities for both companies,” said Kiewit CEO Rick Lanoha.

Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. (ESG) on Friday launched the R.B. Weeks, the second trailing suction hopper dredge the Florida shipbuilder has constructed for Weeks Marine, Inc.The R.B. Weeks is named in honor of Richard B. Weeks, a co-founder of Weeks Marine and married to Magdalen Weeks, the namesake of the sister vessel Magdalen, built by Eastern and delivered in 2017.The 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.

Former Dredging Contractors of America (DCA) executive director and Weeks Marine’s corporate and government relations director Mark D. Sickles will serve as Interim CEO and executive director as the organization searches for new staff leadership to succeed outgoing DCA head William P. Doyle, who has been appointed to lead the Maryland Port Administration, and Executive Director of the Port of Baltimore.Sickles was unanimously approved by the DCA board of directors and general membership during its annual meeting on July 9.

Weeks Marine, Inc. visited Northshore Technical Community College (NTCC) in Lacombe, La. on July 18 to announce major contributions, totaling $500,000, to support the college’s maritime training program and scholarship fund.Richard “Dick” Weeks, Chairman of Weeks Marine, travelled from the company’s headquarters in Cranford, N.J. to view progress on the construction of NTCC’s second building at the Lacombe Campus. A longtime supporter of higher education and workforce training, Mr.

The American Maritime Partnership (AMP), the voice of the domestic maritime industry, has highlighted the U.S. dredging industry’s commitment to build and maintain safe, efficient and cost-effective navigation channels in the nation’s inland waterways and ports. The recent deliveries of four state-of-the-art vessels, constructed by nearly 700 American workers in U.S. shipyards, are a reflection of the U.S. dredging industry’s continued investment in building dredges with increased…

Weeks Marine’s new self-propelled hopper dredge, Magdalen, was delivered by Eastern Shipbuilding on December 22 following sea trials and regulatory inspections. The newbuild is one of the two newest, and among the largest hopper dredges in the U.S., and will bring formidable pumping power to offload beach quality sand or other materials for land reclamation. On December 28, the new dredger sailed from Eastern's Allanton facility in Panama City, Fla. on her maiden voyage to the East Coast.

BAE Systems Southeast Shipyards Alabama has been selected by Weeks Marine, Inc. to build an 8,500 cubic yard capacity twin screw trailing suction hopper dredge at its Mobile, Alabama facility. Upon completion, dimensions of the vessel will be 356-feet long, 79-feet wide with a draft of 27 feet. Weeks Marine, Inc., which has its dredging headquarters in Covington, Louisiana, is one of the largest providers of dredging services in the United States. This will be a state-of-the art trailing suction hopper dredge and the first designed by IHC Merwede to be built in the United States. IHC Merwede, located in The Netherlands, is a world leader in the design and construction of advanced dredging equipment.

Investment Based on U.S. Commitment to ‘Private Sector First’ Philosophy Announcement Coincides with Annual National Dredging Meeting in Washington, DC Washington, DC._WEEKS MARINE Inc. (WMI), an ENR top 100 construction contractor with deep roots in the New York maritime community and based in Cranford, NJ, today formally announces two major additions to its considerable dredge, tugboat, booster, hopper barge, and industrial workboat fleet. By the end of 2011, the Weeks 315, a new ocean class, 30-inch, hydraulic cutter suction dredge will join Weeks Marine’s large and diverse pipeline dredge fleet. Approximately two years later, a new large class, 8,500 cubic yard hopper dredge, the Weeks 475, will become WMI’s third hopper dredge.