Great Lakes Dredge & Dock (GLDD) chose Philly Shipyard to build a Jones Act-compliant offshore wind vessel.
The 461-by-112-foot ship will be the first U.S.-flagged inclined fallpipe vessel for subsea rock installation. It will be used to transport and place up to 20,000 metric tons of rock on the seabed. Those stones will solidify offshore wind tower foundations, cables and other components, GLDD said in a news release.
The contract is valued at $197 million. GLDD retains the right of first refusal on a second fallpipe ship that would bring the total contract value to $382 million.
“Offshore wind will play a crucial role in helping the U.S. meet its decarbonization and clean energy goals,” said Lasse Petterson, GLDD’s president and chief executive officer. “The unique, technologically advanced vessel we are constructing is an essential step toward building the marine infrastructure required for this new industry.”
Ulstein Design and Solutions B.V. of Rotterdam designed the ship, which is scheduled for delivery in late 2024. The second vessel, if built, is tentatively scheduled to deliver a year later.