Muddy Water Dredging Orders New 24" Dredge from DSC
A newly formed dredging company has placed an order for what will be one of the largest dredges of its kind in the U.S.
On October 12, Michael Kerns, President and CEO of Muddy Water Dredging, LP and Bob Wetta, President and CEO of DSC Dredge LLC, launched the project to build the custom 24” dual pump Marlin Class dredge to maintain U.S. navigable waterways.
Muddy Water Dredging, LP (MWD) was established in late 2021 with corporate headquarters located in Orange, Texas. Co-owners Michael J. Kerns and Matthew B. Devall bring over 40 years of experience in the dredging and maritime transportation industry. According to co-owners, “MWD will engage a First Principles approach by employing the latest technological advancements to the machinery and employees allowing for a truly unique and forward-thinking organization, we are incredibly excited to join a dynamic industry that is vitally important in sustaining U.S. Navigable Waterways”.
The company's new custom Marlin Class dredge will have an overall length of 371 feet making it one of, if not the longest, 24” dredge in the United States with the capability of dredging a 400’ wide cut utilizing an 80° swing arc thus increasing the dredge’s swing/advance efficiency by 5.9%. At a duty point of 28,236 GPM slurry volume, this new dredge will have the ability of filling an Olympic size swimming pool with dredge slurry in only 23 minutes and can completely fill an area the size of the New Orleans Superdome in only 23 days.
Notwithstanding the massiveness and strength this dredge embodies, its customization not only includes a detachable carriage barge which allows the dredge to quickly convert from a wide cut format configuration to a shorter conventional dredge configuration for work in areas with limited space but also has lay-down carriage barge spuds to facilitate transit under low clearance structures.
This custom dredge will be equipped with DSC’s survey-grade DSC VISION package; DSC’s Dredge Rx remote monitoring package; and DSC’s Dredge Quality Management (DQM) system for automated USACE reporting. The dredge will also be fitted with three 12’x12’ offices, a 15’ x 19’ meeting/break room, restroom facilities, and a 20’x 27’ lever room.
“The specifications and overall design of the dredge will lend itself to the future of efficient dredge designs while still providing a beast of a dredge. Muddy Water Dredging has taken steps to bring a new dredge to the industry that will be designed for high production capacity, the latest in dredging technology and an efficient and practical design,” stated Bob Wetta, President and CEO of DSC Dredge.
This Custom 24” diesel-electric design, with a total installed horsepower of 9,621 HP and delivering 6,830 kW of electrical power, is expected to be completed October 2023.
