Dredger costing more than £20 million arrives on River Tees to provide 'vital service'

The dredger is 71 metres long and carry 2,500 tonnes of material at once. Credit: PD Ports

A new dredger costing £23 million and standing at 71 metres long has arrived on the River Tees.

The Emerald Duchess has been described as a "major investment" into the "economic and environmental sustainability of the river" by PD Ports, who run Teessport.

It will keep the waterway clear for other vessels using the river, carrying 2,500 tonnes and 2,000 cubic metres of dredged material at once.

In a statement, the company said the job of the new vessel, which has arrived after sea trials in the Netherlands, is to keep "Teesport safe and accessible for the many thousands of vessels that enter its waters each year."

Having been towed onto the river early on Monday morning (26 August), it will operate on the 12 mile stretch between the North Sea and Port of Hartlepool.

The dredger will ensure other ships can safely get into Teessport. Credit: ITV Tyne Tees

The Emerald Duchess was described by PD Ports as "the latest in a series of multi-million pound investments by PD Ports in assets that will support our push to be the UK’s most sustainable port company."

The crew, who are all from Teesside, spent several days in the Netherlands training on the new ship and observing sea trials.

Teesside is the sixth largest port in the UK and the tenth biggest in Western Europe, and is said to contribute £1.4bn to the economy each year.

Explaining the system for dredging the river, PD Ports said: "The method of removing sediment brought into the river by the tides, which is then discharged into designated areas off the coast, is closely monitored and regulated by the Marine Management Organisation with a process that has been in place for more than 50 years."

It added: "As Statutory Harbour Authority (SHA), PD Ports has the powers to dredge to legally agreed levels to allow commercial operations along the Tees and at Hartlepool, creating a safe and consistent passage for vessels of depths up to 17metres."

In a statement announcing the arrival of the ship, the company said: "The Emerald Duchess can swap between power from a battery pack equivalent to 10 Tesla cars and fuel made from hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), also known as renewable diesel.

"It is also ready for future innovation, with hatches above the engine room that will allow power units to be swapped out for modern fuel cells as the technology matures, using methanol or ethanol fuel."

PD Ports chief executive officer Frans Calje said: “It is an honour to have welcomed the Emerald Duchess to the Tees to be officially recognised as a British vessel, registered in Middlesbrough.

“The Emerald Duchess is a major investment for PD Ports and represents our commitment to the river and the wider responsibilities placed on us as Statutory Harbour Authority for the Port of Tees and Hartlepool.

“Without dredging, all economic activity on the Tees would stop within weeks, if not days. It is a vital service to keep the beating heart of the region working effectively, sustaining around 22,000 jobs.

“The work that has been done by Neptune and our team at PD Ports to design and build a ship that is environmentally sustainable is commendable. This vessel has a life span of around 40 years, so it was important to design in flexibility to adapt to the amazing progress that’s being in made in decarbonised fuels.

“I look forward to seeing the Emerald Duchess working out on the river, keeping it safe and accessible for many years to come.”

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