PD Ports invest £23m in innovative new dredging vessel
(Posted on 20/07/23)
PD Ports in the UK, has confirmed its commitment to the economic success and environmental sustainability of the River Tees with a £23m investment in a new, state of the art dredging vessel.
The 71m long dredger, which has already been named the Emerald Duchess following a competition among PD Ports employees, is due to arrive at Teesport next summer.
The vessel has been designed and built by renowned Dutch shipbuilder Neptune to an exacting specification with the help of PD Ports’ technical experts to ensure it can carry out its tasks on the Tees to the highest environmental and safety standards.
Currently under construction at a shipyard in Poland for commissioning, ahead of trials in the Netherlands in 2024, the Emerald Duchess will replace the Cleveland County, which had served the Tees under PD Ports’ conservancy team for 50 years.
The new vessel has been ‘future-proofed’ with a number of bespoke design features that will eventually allow carbon neutral operations.
Fitted with an innovative intelligent power management system, the Emerald Duchess can swap between power from a battery pack equivalent to 10 Tesla cars and fuel made from hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), also known as renewable diesel.
It is also ready for future innovation, with hatches above the engine room that will allow power units to be swapped out for modern fuel cells as the technology matures, using methanol or ethanol fuel.
Extensive modelling, using computational fluid dynamics, has taken place to create a hull that is as refined as possible while moving through the water to minimise fuel consumption.
The investment in Emerald Duchess, which will be able to carry 2,500 tonnes and hold up 2000 cubic metres of dredged material, is a further step in PD Ports’ commitment to be Carbon Neutral by 2027, supporting its ambitions to become the UK’s most sustainable port operator.
As Statutory Harbour Authority (SHA), PD Ports has the powers to dredge to legally agreed levels to allow commercial operations along the Tees and at Hartlepool, creating a safe and consistent passage for vessels of depths up to 17metres.
The method of removing sediment brought into the river by the tides, which is then discharged into designated areas off the coast, is closely monitored and regulated by the Marine Management Organisation with a process that has been in place for more than 50 years.
Frans Calje, chief executive officer of PD Ports, said: “The Emerald Duchess represents a major investment in our conservancy operations as SHA and shows our high level of commitment to the socio-economic development of the River Tees and the wider region.
“The vessel is a step ahead in terms of crew safety and sustainability and will strongly support our commitment to becoming a Carbon Neutral operation, using low emission fuel and an innovative layout to make it more fuel efficient.
“Every investment we make is targeted to keep our environmental impact to a minimum, while also supporting the growth and success of the region and the commercial operators who rely on the river. I look forward to the Duchess’ arrival on our shores next summer.”
Latest News
Rollout of CMT test kits increase as bulk shipmanagers look to reduce costs
(Posted on 16/07/26)CM Technologies (CMT) has supplied its integrated onboard fuel/oil testing and analysis kits to a fleet... Read more
Superior’s TeleStacker conveyor evolution continues to improve plant and port performance
(Posted on 07/07/26)Superior Industries, Inc., a U.S.-based manufacturer and global supplier of bulk material processing... Read more
Repositioned for the Future: NDE Readymix’s E-Crane Transformation
(Posted on 03/07/26)NDE Readymix Concrete Ltd., established in 2009, is the largest non-cement ready-mix concrete producer... Read more
Hazira Port crane success for Steelpaint’s new Stelcatec-L repair coat solution
(Posted on 30/06/26)German corrosion protection specialist Steelpaint has successfully completed a technical field trial... Read more
Veson Platform a new foundation for maritime trade
(Posted on 30/06/26)Veson Nautical has announced the Veson Platform, a unified, AI-powered experience that brings together... Read more
ABB to acquire Høglund to expand marine automation offering
(Posted on 29/06/26)ABB has announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire marine automation specialist Hø... Read more
NAVTOR sets new standards with Digital Logbook ‘industry firsts’
(Posted on 29/06/26)NAVTOR has unveiled the latest iteration of its Digital Logbooks offering, featuring the industry&rsquo... Read more
Industry warned battery fire awareness must catch up with changing onboard risks
(Posted on 25/06/26)The maritime industry is facing a rapidly changing fire risk on board vessels as electric vehicles and... Read more
Smart Ship Hub launches one of industry's lowest-cost vessel data loggers
(Posted on 24/06/26)Smart Ship Hub (SSH), the maritime intelligence and data collection platform, has launched one of the... Read more
75 Years young: Verstegen celebrates three quarters of a century of excellence
(Posted on 18/06/26)World leading manufacturer of rope operated mechanical grabs for the dry bulk industry, Verstegen Grijpers... Read more
