The naming ceremony for the mega cutter suction dredger Spartacus – the most powerful CSD in the world – was held last Friday.
With a total installed power of 44,180 kW, its production rates and ability to cut hard soil are unrivalled, said DEME.
Although it was not possible to have DEME’s traditional naming festivities and family day given the coronavirus restrictions, DEME was honoured that Mrs Annik Penders, the wife of the Prime Minister of Belgium Alexander De Croo, accepted to be the godmother of the new vessel.
The ceremony still managed to capture the spirit of the occasion with all the traditional rituals as Mrs Penders gracefully smashed a bottle of champagne against the hull.
Luc Vandenbulcke , CEO DEME Group, said: “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. DEME would like to very much thank Mrs Penders for being the godmother to this exceptional vessel and for joining us in celebrating this milestone.”
As well as its impressive power, the Spartacus is the first cutter suction dredger in the industry that can be powered by LNG.
According to DEME, the Spartacus incorporates other smart innovations to maximise productivity, including anon board workshop with a vibration-insulated floor, which makes it possible to carry out the maintenance and repair of the cutterheads during operations.
This enables the mega CSD to achieve unequalled uptime and is a major advantage when working in remote parts of the world.