On April 1st, DCA member Mike Hooks LLC announced another milestone event, the launching of a new 27-inch cutter suction dredge named the “Lorraine Hooks,” named after the beloved matriarch and wife of founder Mike Hooks. The Dredging Contractors of America extend their congratulations to the team for their successful launch and for their continued investment in American-made equipment and personnel;
As a family-owned business since 1945, we remain dedicated to the safety of our people, to the environment, and to facilitating economic growth along the Gulf Coast through safe and sustainable dredging and environmental remediation services.
Once outfitted and complete, the 300-ft. x 50-ft. Lorraine Hooks, with a dredging depth of 75 feet, will be deployed on both coastal restoration and navigation dredging projects in Louisiana and across the region to improve climate resiliency and strengthen maritime infrastructure.
The dredge will be state-of-the-art, designed to meet the latest industry standards in safety, comfort, efficiency, and production. It will house “home-away-from-home” living quarters with A60 fire rating insulation and constructed on vibration mounts to reduce fatigue for the crew from harmonic vibrations and noise. There will be a NOVEC fire suppression system in the engine room and control rooms. A cutterhead platform will allow safe operations while maintenance is performed, and anchor booms will reduce human exposure to anchor handling. Operation monitoring displays and tablets will be throughout the dredge and quarters.
