First U.S. Jones Act Subsea Rock Installation Vessel 'Acadia' to Undertake Offshore Wind Missions

en.Wedoany.com Reported - The first U.S. Jones Act-compliant subsea rock installation vessel, 'Acadia,' has been delivered to Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company. This U.S.-flagged vessel was ordered by Texas-based GLDD in 2021 from Philly Shipyard, Inc., with its first steel cut in July 2023, keel laying in May 2024, launched at Hanwha Philly Shipyard in July 2025, and sea trials commencing in March of this year.

GLDD President and CEO Lasse Petterson stated that the delivery of 'Acadia' represents a transformative moment for the company, emphasizing its commitment to installing and protecting offshore energy infrastructure both domestically and internationally. He believes this highly specialized vessel positions the company at the forefront of subsea rock installation and will enable it to play a key role in major projects such as Empire Wind 1 and Sunrise Wind, providing clean energy solutions for New York State.

The vessel, designed by Ulstein with the S211 design, has the capacity to transport and install up to 20,000 tons of rock for scour protection of subsea power cables, telecommunications cables, oil and gas pipelines, and offshore wind turbine foundations. The ship has an overall length of 140.5 meters, a width of 34.1 meters, and can accommodate 45 personnel.

Upon delivery, 'Acadia' will first mobilize to Equinor's Empire Wind 1 offshore wind project in New York, then proceed directly to Ørsted's Sunrise Wind project, also located in the New York Bight. GLDD stated that after completing these two U.S. projects, the vessel will mobilize to Europe for rock installation work for a major offshore wind developer, with plans to remain operational for the majority of 2027.

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