29/09/2017

The Willem van Rubroeck is the world’s most powerful dredger, it is equipped with MTG cutter-heads, and was put to sea by Jan De Nul Group at the Uljanik shipyard in Croatia.

MTG has already delivered the first three cutter-heads and expects to deliver three more units in 2018. MTG supplies Jan De Nul Group with MTG Systems DMet and MTG Plus teeth, all manufactured using MTG steel and specifically designed to withstand the highest levels of mechanical stress. These types of steel maximise the hardness and tenacity combination thanks to specific thermal treatments and an extremely low level of impurities.

The dredger is 151.3m in length and 36m in width and is capable of reaching speeds of 12 knots. Its installed power is 40,975 kW, which makes it the world’s most powerful dredger. It has two retractable thrusters whose total power is 6,000 kW, and three dredging pumps who in turn boast a total power of 25,500 kW, two of which are located in the pump room, and the remaining one in the cutter ladder. The dredger will be equipped with a cutter power of 8,500kW, and it will be capable of dredging compact sand, clay and rocks at a depth of up to 45m. Operations will be monitored from an almost fully automated central station that will boast quality accommodation for up to 67 crewmembers.