General – dredging
The world’s most powerful cutter suction dredger Spartacus was officially named yesterday as the vessel’s godmother, Mrs Annik Penders, the wife of the Prime Minister of Belgium Alexander De Croo, gracefully swung the bottle of champagne, shattering it on the hull.
Luc Vandenbulcke, CEO DEME Group: “Spartacus was designed with three main priorities at its core: pushing the boundaries of dredging potential, unprecedented autonomy and minimising the impact on the environment. We are proud to be a technological and sustainable leader in the industry and Spartacus embodies this drive and innovative spirit.”
Spartacus will drive new levels of performance in the dredging industry given its unbeatable pumping power and heavy-duty cutter ladder, which means a dredging depth of 45 m can be reached. Projects that would not have been feasible before are now possible.
With a total installed power of 44,180 kW, a vessel like Spartacus has never been seen before. The production rates and ability to cut hard soil are unmatched. But at the same time, this unique vessel has a soft spot for the environment. It is the first cutter suction dredger in the industry that can be powered by different types of fuel, including LNG. The vessel also has several additional energy-saving features, such as a waste heat recovery system.