Keppel AmFELS at the Port of Brownsville will be building the largest hopper dredge in the United States thanks to a contract with Manson Construction Co. 

The 15,000-cubic-yard hopper dredge FREDERICK PAUP’s design is in collaboration with Hockema Whalen Myers Associates Inc. of Seattle, Wash. It will have a length of 420 feet, breadth of 81 feet and draft of 28.5 feet. The dredge is slated to be fully operational come spring 2023. 

A US Bank-led syndication is providing financing.

“We are pleased to be partnering with Keppel AmFELS, due to their impressive vessel construction capabilities,” said John Holmes, Manson Construction Co. president. “Their value proposition is strengthened by our shared focus on safety.” 

Made in the USA

Once complete, the FREDERICK PAUP represents Manson’s single biggest investment in its 115-year history.

“This dredge is the culmination of years of work by our dedicated team and I am honored to bear its name,” said the dredge’s namesake, Manson’s chairman of the board, Frederick Paup. “We are proud that it will be U.S. built, U.S. flagged and U.S. crewed, and will support the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ mission of keeping the marine transportation highway open throughout the United States.”

“We are pleased to be selected by Manson Construction Co. to build the largest U.S hopper dredger,” said Mohamed Sahlan Bin Salleh, president of Keppel AmFELS. “It is a testament to the capabilities of our shipyard to build a wide variety of vessels for the Jones Act market. 

“This project will be supported by our highly-skilled local workforce and suppliers across the U.S.,” he continued. “This is our first new-build project with Manson and we look forward to supporting them as they grow their fleet of vessels.”