Does anyone know of any compainies on on the East Coast of the U.S. that operates D.P. dredges?
Or west coast for that matter.
I have been looking into the dredging industry, and I dont think DP is used for dredging. From what I have seen the suction cutters use anchor and spud to move the dredge during operations and tug for location movements. I was wondering how the anchors are set; with a tug I assume. I’m not sure but the hopper type dredge is a ship with bow thrusters, but I’m not sure is that counts a DP. Anyone else care to give a better answer; I would be interested in knowing the real answer from a dredging professional. Dredging seems to be a booming industry right now. I am trying to get on as a field engineer with a dredging outfit. There are some great youtube vids for dredging.
I don’t think any US Hopper Dredges have DP. But I seen foreign ones that do. They have incorporated the survey info with a DP 1 type system. Marine Log had an article about a new built for A foreign company.
I am pretty sure Manson Construction Company’s hopper dredge Glenn Edwards has a DP System. That is probably the only US Flag hopper dredge that is outfitted with a DP system though. DP would work great on hopper dredges, particularly for disposal operations, but most of the US Flag hopper dredges are 30+ years old and not going to be outfitted with DP. Weeks Marine is currently building a new US Flag hopper dredge to an IHC design and I don’t know if it will be DP or not. Many foreign flag hopper dredges have class noted DP systems.
I’ve never heard of a double penetration dredge. 
It’s probably some new contraption being built by Gary Chouest to take over the dredge business… Hey wait a minute…
[QUOTE=dredgeboater;75201]I am pretty sure Manson Construction Company’s hopper dredge Glenn Edwards has a DP System. That is probably the only US Flag hopper dredge that is outfitted with a DP system though. DP would work great on hopper dredges, particularly for disposal operations, but most of the US Flag hopper dredges are 30+ years old and not going to be outfitted with DP. Weeks Marine is currently building a new US Flag hopper dredge to an IHC design and I don’t know if it will be DP or not. Many foreign flag hopper dredges have class noted DP systems.[/QUOTE]
The Glenn Edwards is outfitted with a Kongsberg DP system and it has has worked exceptionaly well since its installation.
I was curious because we work in DP Track constantly running a route. It seems like a very efficient way to consistently cut material and cover a prescribed area.
It won’t be, DP that is. It’s not gonna be out til 2014 sometime.
The Glenn Edwards does have DP and we envy them for it.
Outta curiosity, how’s the pay for mates and abs at Manson?
They are the top paying company in the US hopper dredging industry. I am not sure of exact numbers but I believe it is close to the top paying OSV companies, particularly if you factor in getting paid your full day rate for travel days. Good luck getting on as a mate or AB though. There is near zero turnover deck side. I know they have openings for engineers every now and then. Do you work at Weeks?
I flew with a manager in the dredge division at Manson and he told me the crews vote for the new hires and my chances of getting hired were slim to none unless I knew someone on one
Yup. Been on a few hitches…
The new boat is gonna require 3 mates, whichll be nice; currently the 6 and 6 is pretty brutal on a quick turnaround job. 8-10 loads a day so…
Good for the day and a half per day seatime, bad for sleep. Did a production job in Greys Harbor, WA where the disposal site was right next to the cut and the sand just jumped in the hopper. That was about 20 loads a day or so. I would be surprised if the USCG required more than 2 mates for dredging ops beyond the initial proving period. If they do, all I have to say is about time.
The new one sounds like its guaranteed to have three mates from what’s being said; it’ll have lifeboats too, not just rafts.