Asia’s largest and most advanced dredging vessel, named Tian Kun Hao, is about to kick off its sea trials, People’s Daily Online reports.
The cutter suction dredger, built for China Communications Construction Co. Ltd. (CCCC), was designed by the China State Shipbuilding Corporation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Guangzhou Wenchong Shipyard as well as the China Merchants Industry, and was constructed by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries.
The self-propelled vessel, launched in November 2017 in Qidong, East China’s Jiangsu Province, is 140 meters long, has a width of 27.8 meters and is able to operate in depths of between 6 and 35 meters.
The Tian Kun Hao is larger and has greater capability than the Tian Jing Hao, formerly the largest cutter suction dredger in Asia.
It is expected that the new CSD will go into operation during the first half of 2018.