Philly Shipyard Lays Keel for Great Lakes' Subsea Rock Installation Vessel

Philly Shipyard has laid the keel for Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation's subsea rock installation vessel, Acadia—the first Jones Act compliant rock placement vessel for the U.S. offshore wind industry.

A May 2 keel-laying ceremony saw the vessel's first grand block loaded into the building dock, marking a significant milestone in the shipbuilding process.

Great Lakes' CEO, Lasse Petterson, said, “Keel laying, commonly referred to as the birthday of a ship, is a big milestone in the ship construction process, and we are so pleased to be at this stage with our new vessel, as we can see the results of years of planning and engineering coming together with Philly Shipyard.”

Steinar Nerbovik, President and CEO of Philly Shipyard, said, “We are proud of our Philly Shipyard team and are excited for this partnership with Great Lakes that will allow us to place our fingerprint on the first of a kind vessel that will be essential in achieving the nation’s ambitious offshore wind targets.”

Acadia will be the only Jones Act compliant rock placement vessel in the U.S. commercial fleet. It is designed to carry up to 20,000 MT of rock and will transport and strategically deposit these rocks to the ocean bottom, laying a foundation for the monopiles which serve as the prevailing support structure for offshore wind turbines. The ship will have an overall length of 140.5 meters (461 feet), a breadth of 34.1 meters (112 feet), and crew accommodations for 45 people.