Van Oord’s LNG-powered vessels join forces to protect the Dutch coast

Van Oord’s brand-new trailing suction hopper dredgers Vox Ariane and Vox Apolonia recently joined forces to protect the Dutch coast.

Last week, a unique situation occurred off the coast of Zeeland, where Van Oord’s two newest identical vessels Vox Ariane and Vox Apolonia – both powered by the sustainable fuel LNG – began working together to reinforce the coastline.

The project concerns beach nourishment works along the Dutch coast, which are part of the Netherlands’ Coastline Care programme of Rijkswaterstaat, the executive agency of the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management.

What makes this project extra special is that Vox Ariane and Vox Apolonia are running on LNG during the project execution, a more sustainable alternative for Marine Gas Oil (MGO), free of sulphur and particulates.

The combustion process is also different to that of MGO, resulting in far less nitrogen dioxide being emitted. Switching to this kind of alternative sources of fuel for Van Oord fleet will help the company to achieve their net-zero emissions targets by 2050, in line with the Paris Agreement.

Vox Apolonia and Vox Ariane are part of a series of three brand new trailing suction hopper dredgers that are being added to the company fleet. The christening of third sister vessel Vox Alexia will take place this September.

These vessels will help Van Oord to further modernise its fleet, making it more innovative and energy efficient. Their LNG fuel system and energy-efficient design will reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions substantially.

It is precisely for this reason that the three vessels were presented with the Dutch Maritime KVNR Shipping Award in 2022. According to the jury, Van Oord’s introduction of the three vessels marks it as ‘a trailblazer for international standards aimed at minimising climate and environmental impact within the available technological capabilities’.