Eastern Shipbuilding Delivers New Hopper Dredge R.B. Weeks

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, ESG’s workforce was able to deliver the vessel on schedule. The R.B. Weeks was constructed at ESG’s Allanton Shipyard and was launched on June 17, 2022. The vessel outfitting and trials were conducted at ESG’s Port St. Joe Shipyard.

According to Weeks Marine president and CEO Eric Ellefsen, the delivery of R.B. Weeks is a significant milestone for the company and the largest capital investment in Weeks Marine history, which spans over a century.

“We look forward to putting the R.B. Weeks to work deepening and maintaining navigation channels, restoring storm-damaged coastal barrier islands and nourishing beaches lost to erosion, aiding the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other key clients,” he said.

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 nearly identical sister vessel Magdalen (ESG 256), built by ESG and delivered in 2017.

R.B. Weeks has a hopper capacity of 8,550 cubic yards and includes an electrical power, propulsion, and dredge machinery package by Royal IHC, GE Tier IV engines, along with several accommodation and crew comfort upgrades.

R.B. Weeks
ESG Hull#:258
Dimensions (Overall):364’-06” x 79’-6”’x 27’-3”
Designer: Royal IHC
Main Engines: (2) GE 16V250 MDC IMOIII/EPA Tier 4
Main Propulsion: (2) Wartsila CPP in Nozzles
Reduction Gears: (4) Siemens (Flender)
Bow Thruster: (1) Wartsila Fixed Pitch Tunnel Unit
Main Generators: (2) Hyundai
Auxiliary Generator: (1) GE 6L250 MDC IMOIII/EPA Tier 4 / Hyundai
Emergency Generator: (1) Caterpillar C18 IMOII/EPA Tier 3
Classification: Lloyd’s Register, 100A1 Hopper Dredger, LMC, UMS
Flag & Regulatory: USA, USCG
Hopper Capacity: 8,550 yd³ (6540m3)
Accommodations: 26 Person