On Friday, 14 August 2009, the cutter suction dredger Ibn Battuta was launched at the Uljanik Brodogradiliste d.d. Shipyard in Pula (Croatia). The Ibn Battuta is the first of 4 large self-propelled cutter suction dredgers with a total installed diesel power of 23,250 kW ordered at the Pula shipyard. Delivery of the Ibn Battuta is foreseen at the end of this year.
The other 3 identical cutter suction dredgers ordered at the Uljanik shipyard are the Zheng He, the Fernão de Magalhães and the JDN8067. They will be constructed in 2009-2010. Launchings in China Work is also progressing on the vessels under construction in China. In the past months, the following vessels have been launched at the Tianjin Xinhe Shipbuilding Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. shipyard in Tianjin:
– The Concepción and the Santiago, the first two of a series of four 1800 m3 split barges. The third one, the Trinidad, will be launched at the end of this month. – The Astrolabe, the first of a series of six 3700 m3 split barges, was launched on 6 August. – The DN 203 and DN 204, the first two workboats of a series of five.
The Concepción is expected to be delivered within the following weeks and is soon to be followed by her sister vessels.