Mike Hooks Christens New Dredge

A new cutter suction dredge (CSD) has been christened for Westlake, La. based dredging contractor Mike Hooks.

The 27-inch CSD Lorraine Hooks was built at Southwest Shipyard in Galveston, Texas and delivered to its owner earlier this year 2023. The newbuild is named after the wife of the company's founder.

C-Job Naval Architects, based in the Netherlands, served as systems integrator and was responsible for the full design scope including the majority of the dredge equipment for the dredge on behalf of Mobile, Ala. based SPI / Mobile Pulley Works, which constructed the dredge equipment.

The 300- by 50-foot Lorraine Hooks, with a dredging depth of 75 feet, will be deployed on both coastal restoration and navigation dredging projects in Louisiana and across the Gulf region to improve climate resiliency and strengthen maritime infrastructure.

Mike Hooks currently operates an active fleet of five cutter suction dredges, including four 27-inch and one 24-inch CSDs.