The twin screw vessel features a single suction pipe on the port side with an internal diameter of 1,200mm and can dredge to a maximum depth of 43m. Measuring 121.5m LOA with a beam of 28m and a draught of 9.05m, Brabo boasts a total installed power of 10,890kW and will sail at speeds to 14.8 knots.

A versatile medium sized dredger by current standards, Brabo could make a meaningful contribution to large scale land reclamation works but is also well suited to the maintenance dredging of harbours and fairways or coastal beach replenishment works. The vessel’s minimal draft and broad beam allow it to work in areas where other ships of its class would be restricted by length or water depth.

The one man operated bridge is a continuing development of earlier Reynaert size vessels, with the latest in console technology combining the dredging and sailing functions. Extremely user friendly operation and a high degree of automation have already proven successful with Reynaert and its sister vessels ‘Palletier’ and ‘Marieke’.

The high performance design combines a relatively limited weight with a high maximum load capacity of 18,440 tons at the 9.05m draught, providing a density of dredged soil in the hopper of some 1.5 tons/m3.

As Brabo followed Reynaert at Kinderdijk, Brabo’s launch at the end of June was followed immediately by keel laying ceremonies for the 9,000m3 trailer ‘Breydel’, also for DEME and due to be commissioned next year. DEME’s ongoing programme of fleet expansion and renewal reflects works in progress valued at some €1.2 billion at the end of May.