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The world’s largest ocean-going hydraulic cutter suction dredge took to the water Monday. A downpour of rain that hit as company officials and dignitaries offered words of praise before a crowd of more than 200 people ended on schedule for Vickie McCaskill to christen the $41 million C.R. McCaskill at the Weeks Marine Inc. yard, along the Intracoastal Waterway in Houma.
Named after Weeks’ technical equipment director Charles R. “Charlie” McCaskill, the 230-foot long and five-story high vessel operates with 18,000 horsepower engines, and is a first to meet new benchmarks for safety, production, efficiency and reliability while meeting all U.S. Tier II emission standards.
The McCaskill dredge is a non-self propelled industrial barge designed to clear the way for other maritime vessels and will be used in efforts for Louisiana’s coastal restoration.
Assembly in Houma took three months after various sections of the ship were constructed at Weeks shipyards around the country.
“The U.S. dredging industry is strong and competitive,” McCaskill said, “but there is always room for improvement. … I am especially proud of all our partners in this complex undertaking. We designed and built a world class vessel.”
“This is very unique,” Weeks tool-room clerk Dean Bonvillain said. “Where other vessels just go in and out of harbors, we keep harbors open and make sure they have safe passage. It will also be used in coastal restoration.”
Rep. Steve Scalise confirmed Bonvillain’s comments. “This vessel will be a big part of our coastal restoration efforts,” he said. “We fought real hard to get the RESTORE Act passed in Congress, and that will help us get billions of dollars to use primarily in Louisiana to restore out coast. The McCaskill will be one of the key ingredients to go out there and dredge sediment to use for the restoration of our coasts and marshes.”
Scalise said along with helping coastal restoration, the McCaskill represents a pacemaker for economic recovery. He added that by building this vessel, business is demonstrating to government that it takes coastal restoration seriously.
“We’ve made big investments,” Scalise said. “This shows that the private sector recognizes the importance of coastal restoration. Weeks Marine had a multi-million dollar investment in this vessel, knowing it would play a key role in coastal restoration.”
“This christening of the dredge is very important,” added Terrebonne Parish President Michel Claudet. “It indicates the importance of dredging that will take place in the future. We certainly hope that emphasis will equate to dredging the Atchafalaya River that will assist us in sediment transfer to the western parts of our parish.”
Company Chairman Richard Weeks said this vessel will now be the largest cutter-head dredge on the Gulf of Mexico. “We have a number of dredges, but this is the biggest and newest,” he said.
Charlie McCaskill said the vessel that bears his name is the third product in a five-unit series being built by Weeks, and is part of a more than $200 million capital investment initiative that began in May 2011.
“To be selected by [my fellow] employees for this honor is very humbling,” Charlie McCaskill said. “I feel fortunate to work with a company … that believes in investing in the future.”
“This is a very special day for us,” Vickie McCaskill said. “This is the first time [I’ve ever broken champagne on a ship].”
Vickie McCaskill christens the C.R. McCaskill ocean-going dredge at Weeks Marine Inc. The $41 million vessel is named in honor of her husband, Weeks Marine Inc. technical and equipment executive Charles R. “Charlie” McCaskill. The McCaskill, pictured at left, is 230-feet long, has a breadth of 62 feet, a depth of 14 feet and is five stories high.
