Peel Ports welcomes LNG dredger

Van Oord’s groundbreaking Vox Apolonia will be used for maintenance dredging at the Port of Liverpool and King George V Dock in Glasgow.

It is the first time the LNG trailing suction hopper dredger has been used at any of the group’s ports, and only the second time it has carried out work in the UK.

Garry Doyle, Group Harbour Master at Peel Ports Group, said the group was on constant lookout for ways to reduce its environmental impact. “We are striving to become net zero across the group by 2040, and the Vox Apolonia is a step ahead in terms of its sustainability credentials,” he said.

Peel Ports Group – which is committed to being a net zero port operator by 2040 – first welcomed the vessel to the Port of Liverpool this month, before it carried out work in Glasgow, and returned for further work at its site in Liverpool.

Van Oord has also provided its new hybrid water-injection dredger Maas to the port, bunkered for the first time with a biofuel blend. The company estimates it currently emits 40% less CO2 than its predecessor whilst dredging for the port group in Liverpool.

Marine Bourgeois, project manager at Van Oord, said the company was constantly researching and investing to make its fleet more sustainable. “We have our own commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and the Vox Apolonia is the next step towards that goal,” she said.

“It’s been great to work with Peel Ports on this project. They are always open to collaborate in our initiatives to provide greener and more efficient dredging solutions.”