Tons of steel for Vox Dubai

December 2008 – Work is now in progress on the largest trailing suction hopper dredger ever built in the Netherlands: the Vox Dubai. The vessel is 200 metres long, 31 metres wide and 39 metres high. It has a hopper capacity of 31,200 m3. For this project, De Boer Staal supplied 13,000 tons of steel plating and 2,250 tons of (Holland) profiles, Grade A ship quality.

The slipway at IHC Dredgers in Kinderdijk is just big enough for the hull of the Vox Dubai. Some elements, such as the accommodation and the dredging equipment on the deck, will be installed only after the launch. Building a ship this big involves quite a lot of logistical challenges. So good teamwork with suppliers is important. De Boer Staal monitors the delivery schedules closely so that the steel arrives on time, safeguarding the progress of the project.The Vox Dubai is being built for Van Oord, a company that specialises in dredging and hydraulic engineering projects throughout the world. The Vox Dubai can navigate in shallow waters and still carry an enormous load. That cuts down on travelling times and is more efficient.