On Monday 25th March, 2024 the Spanish built Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger (TSHD) VOX AMALIA entered Grand Harbour, Malta during her maiden call passing breakwaters at 0650 hrs coming from Rotterdam, Netherlands.
With a length overall (loa) of 158 meters, a beam of 36 meters, limiting the maximum draft to 10.54 m with a load capacity of 18,000 cubic meters. The vessel is part of Van Oord’s new generation of trailing suction hopper dredgers with a focus on energy efficiency for the smallest possible carbon footprint.
She can unload her content in four ways. She has six bottom doors for an immediate release to the sea floor. Another option is to pump the content to the shore via a floating pipe. As a shallow draft ship she can come close to the shore and spray the sand on the beach (rainbowing).
A fourth option is to reverse the use of the drag heads and pump sand or gravel from the ship to the seabed. Using the drag heads allows a very accurate under water release, for instance to cover cables or pipelines.
She was built at Sestao, Spain by Construcciones Navales Del Norte and during December 2018 she was christened by Her Majesty Queen Máxima, Rotterdam in the presence of 1,400 employees and guests during the celebration of Van Oord’s 150th anniversary. Between April and October 2019, all systems and installations were gradually placed in working order.
She left Valletta later on in the evening passing breakwaters at 1936 hrs bound to Ain Sokhna, Egypt lying on the western shore of the Red Sea’s Gulf of Suez.
During her stay of nearly 13 hours she was berthed at Pinto 1 and 2 wharves, part of Valletta Cruise Port.
For more information about Valletta Cruise Port kindly visit their website – www.vallettacruiseport.com
