Mike Hooks, LLC is pleased to announce the latest development in their Capital Improvement plan with the construction of a new dredge. To improve efficiency and promote innovation within the industry, Hooks will be adding a new, state-of-the-art, 27-inch Cutter Suction Dredge to the existing 4 dredge fleet.
Originally founded in 1945 by Mike and Lorraine Hooks, Mike Hooks, LLC is now entering its fourth generation of family ownership. Current owners Kim Hooks McMahon and Ronnie Hooks are looking forward to the continuation of a hardworking legacy, stating “Our new 27-inch dredge will be named the ‘Lorraine Hooks’” after the beloved matriarch and wife of the founder Mike Hooks.
Mike Hooks is based out of Westlake, Louisiana and provides dredging services for Government and Private Industry partners throughout the Gulf Coast. Their completed projects have spanned from Brownsville, Texas to the Florida Panhandle. Hooks is eager to maintain its legacy throughout the Gulf Coast and is pleased to award the Capital Improvements Contract to longtime associate, Mobile Pulley Works.
Contract Award
Mobile Pulley Works (MPW) of Mobile, Alabama, has been awarded the Capital Improvements Contract which will include the design and construction of the 27-inch Cutter Suction Dredge (CSD). Owner Billy Prine indicated that MPW started its first project with Mike Hooks in the 1970s and, according to Prine, “After 45 years, it feels like family.”
New Dredge Design
The new dredge is being designed to the latest industry standards to maximize safety, comfort, and efficiency. The dredge will house on-board crew accommodations to provide comfort and convenience for personnel while they are on shift. The new accommodations and lever-room will be constructed on vibration mounts to reduce fatigue caused by harmonic vibrations and noise levels.
The design process will take all environmental considerations into account and will use a “Green Passport,” as conceived by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), to track and inventory all materials used in the construction of the new vessel. The new CSD will be compliant with the latest requirements and regulations from the Coast Guard and the US Army Corps of Engineers– including the implementation of a Dredging Quality Management (DQM) program.
Additional Improvements
While we are looking forward to the new dredge addition, Mike Hooks, LLC and Mobile Pulley Works are also working closely together to overhaul many of the key components for Hooks’ existing dredges. Some of these new components will include all-new, wear-resistant dredge pumps that provide an efficiency of up to 90%, rebuilding and replacing worn ladders as well as the drives to pumps and cutters. MPW has also been contracted to deliver ball joints, pontoons, and pipeline to provide additional support to Hooks’ existing and future dredging operations.
