VESSEL REVIEW | Omvac Catorce – Third hopper dredger in series for Spanish marine contractor

Spain’s Nodosa Shipyard has delivered a new trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) to local marine projects company Canlemar.

Omvac Catorce (“Omvac Fourteen”) is the third dredger in a series to be built by Nodosa for Canlemar. The TSHD has a length of 63.67 metres, a beam of 12.5 metres, a draught of 4.25 metres, a hopper capacity of 1,200 cubic metres, and accommodations for 10 crewmembers.

The dredger is fitted with an excavator capable of digging at depths of up to 60 metres. The excavator is mounted on a Liebherr crane that can be repositioned anywhere along the vessel’s entire length via a roller-equipped platform mounted directly above the hopper.

Dredging can be performed via the excavator or a 500mm trailing suction pipe to enable the vessel to work with a broad range of material such as gravel and aggregates, providing enhanced operational flexibility. Even the discharge of the dredged material can be done through various means, whether through the opening of the hopper’s bottom doors, the excavator, a bow coupling unit, or a rainbow nozzle ideal for beach nourishment works.

Damen Dredging Equipment supplied Omvac Catorce’s suction pipe, the dredge pump, and other associated machinery as part of a complete package similar to that fitted on sister vessel Omvac Diez. The dredger also has various Damen dredging instrumentation systems that can monitor parameters such as trailing pipe position, load and draught, density and velocity, and vacuum and pressure.

Two Caterpillar C32 MGO engines that each produce 746 kW at 1,800 rpm drive Schottel SRP330 fixed-pitch propellers to deliver a service speed of 7.5 knots, though sea trials showed that this arrangement will enable the dredger to reach nine knots. The main engines are also IMO Tier III-compliant to allow the dredger to operate even in emission control areas (ECAs).

The remainder of the propulsion system consists of two Caterpillar C9 245kW auxiliary engines, two Leroy Sommer 123kVA alternators, two Schottel SRP270 rudder propellers, and a 220kW bow thruster powered by a dedicated Caterpillar C18 engine. The dredger is also equipped with a Guerra deck crane and a Narwhal outboard rescue boat.

The interior spaces are kept comfortable by a Teknotherm Marine Espana HVAC installation.

Omvac Catorce has already deployed on its first project by performing maintenance dredging at the Port of Huelva in southern Spain. The port is being deepened and expanded to allow easier access for larger ships.