Sister to Record-Setting Dredger Sets Sail

October 2009 saw the launching of the dredger, Leiv Eiriksson, from Spain’s Basque country. A sister ship to the record-breaking Cristóbal Colón that was launched in July 2008, the Leiv Eiriksson shares common specifications, featuring two MAN 16V48/60B medium-speed main engines and complete propulsion trains.

The two vessels were ordered by Dredging and Maritime Management S.A., a subsidiary of leading dredging contractor, the Jan de Nul Group, based in Luxembourg. Construction took place at the La Naval shipyard in Sestao, Spain, part of Spanish shipbuilder Construcciones Navales del Norte.

The Leiv Eiriksson and Cristóbal Colón are, by some distance, the largest trailing suction hopper dredgers in the world. With a hopper capacity of 46,000 cubic metres and 78,000 tons of deadweight, the new, mega-hopper suction dredgers are capable of sailing at speeds of up to 18 knots. For both propulsion and working functions, the dredgers are powered by two MAN 16-cylinder, vee-configuration type 16V48/60B main engines, each rated 19,200 kW at 514 rpm. These drive twin, controllable-pitch propellers via single input and output shaft-reduction gears, as well as two 18,500 kW shaft generators located on power-take-offs on the reduction gears.

The shaft generators will cover electrical power for working functions during dredging, at berth or at anchor. This also includes the hotel load for the 46 crew members and is supplied by a generator set based on an MAN Diesel inline nine-cylinder type 9L27/38 engine, rated 2,970 kW at 720 rpm.

The vessels have an overall length of 731.6 ft, a breadth of 134.5 ft, a loaded draught of 49.7 ft, and are capable of dredging down to 465.8 ft using a 1,300 mm suction pipe.

The MAN Diesel type 48/60B diesel has a standard rating of 1,200 kW per cylinder at 500 and 514 rpm, and is offered in 6-, 7-, 8-, and 9-cylinder inline and 12-, 14-, 16-, and 18-cylinder vee-configuration versions.

Leiv Eiriksson/Cristóbal Colón Main Parameters:
Length overall    731.6 ft
Length between perpendiculars    643 ft
Breadth (moulded)    134.5 ft
Depth (moulded)    65.6 ft
Dredging draught (moulded)    49.7 ft
Deadweight    78,000 dwt
Max. Speed    18 knots
Dredging depth    Up to 465.8 ft
Max. Payload    46,000 m³ hopper capacity

Propulsion Plant Particulars:
Engine    2 x type MAN 16V48/60B
Fuel    HFO
MCR    19,200 kW at 514 rpm
Dry mass    236 t
Reduction Gears    Single input/single output with PTO for shaft generator
Propeller    MAN Diesel Alpha CPP, in nozzle 6.0 metres, 115 rpm
Onboard Electrical Supply    Auxiliary Engines, 1 x type MAN 9L27/38
Fuel    HFO
MCR per Engine    1 x 2,970 kWe at 720 rpm
Shaft Generators    2 x 18,500 kW

(www.mandiesel.com)