Great Lakes Dredge completes Suez Canal contract

OAK BROOK - Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corp. will participate in the events planned to celebrate the recent completion of the New Suez Canal Project in Egypt, which will allow two-way traffic by creating a parallel channel alongside 70 kilometers of the existing canal.

Great Lakes, along with itscConsortium partner Dredging International NV, was responsible for dredging approximately 40 million cubic meters to -24 meter depth along a 29.5 kilometer stretch of the canal for a contract value of $600 million.

The company mobilized its Middle East-based heavy duty, high production cutter suction dredges, the 'Carolina' and the 'Ohio,' as well as its auxiliary support equipment and the trailing suction hopper dredge Sugar Island, to execute its portion of the work. Originally scheduled to be completed in the third quarter of 2015, the project was accelerated to be completed ahead of schedule in anticipation of the new canal inauguration ceremony.

"The New Suez Canal project was an incredible achievement not only for Great Lakes and our partner, Dredging International, but for the global dredging community that worked on this major undertaking," said David Simonelli, President - Dredging Division. "Great Lakes was pleased to work again with Dredging International on the world stage executing this monumental project that will foster economic growth in the region and improve global trade."