VESSEL REVIEW | Lucky Star 168 – Large tin ore mining dredger for Indonesian owner

Chinese builder Shandong Haohai Dredging Equipment, operating under the HID Dredger brand, recently handed over a new dredger to an unnamed client in Indonesia.

Lucky Star 168 has an LOA of 95 metres, a beam of 17.5 metres, a depth of 2.8 metres, and a working displacement of 1,300 tonnes. A total installed power of 2,800 kW guarantees a rated handling capacity of 700 tonnes per hour and the ability to dredge at depths of up to 50 metres.

The dredger will be used primarily for tin ore extraction in the open sea and also features equipment for tin ore selection. To make this possible, welded steel was used in the vessel’s construction while all surfaces are coated in wear-resistant paint. Seamless pipe connections are also incorporated. The vessel is therefore capable of operations without generating large waves.

The vessel’s electronics suite includes a Siemens operating system that comes with a DGPS to enable the crew to effectively monitor areas of the seabed that are slated for dredging.

The operator’s station is meanwhile fitted with air conditioning and adjustable seats to ensure comfort for the crew during extended dredging operations far from shore.