Earlier this month, Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation and Philly Shipyard, Inc. announced the construction of a Subsea Rock Installation Vessel (SRIV), the first Jones Act-compliant rock placement vessel for the U.S. offshore wind industry. Representatives from Great Lakes and Philly Shipyard gathered for the keel-laying ceremony of the vessel, loading the first grand block into the building dock, a tradition believed to bring good luck to the ship and its crew.
"Keel laying, commonly referred to as the birthday of a ship, is a big milestone in the ship construction process. We are pleased to reach this stage with our new vessel, seeing years of planning and engineering come together with Philly Shipyard," said CEO Lasse Petterson of Great Lakes said in a statement.
Steinar Nerbovik, President and CEO of Philly Shipyard, added, "We are proud of our Philly Shipyard team and excited for this partnership with Great Lakes. This vessel will be essential in achieving the nation's ambitious offshore wind targets."
The new vessel, named Acadia, will be the only Jones Act-compliant rock placement vessel in the U.S. commercial fleet. Designed by Ulstein, a leading Norwegian/Dutch designer of offshore wind vessels, the Subsea Rock Installation Vessel is designed to carry up to 20,000 MT of rock and will transport and strategically deposit these rocks to the ocean bottom, laying a foundation for the monopiles which serve as the prevailing support structure for offshore wind turbines. The 461'x112' vessel will have crew accommodations for 45 people.
