THE Emerald Duchess – a £23m dredger for the River Tees - has been officially named by PD Ports longest serving member of staff in a ceremony on the banks of the river.
The traditional christening ceremony was attended by 250 people from across Teesside’s river community, business and education leaders and maritime experts.
The vessel’s godmother is Sue Green, who has served PD Ports as the Harbour Master’s secretary for almost 40 years.
The ceremony on the riverside Ro-Ro terminal at Teesport saw a bottle of Champagne successfully smashed on the Emerald Duchess’ striking green hull, following a blessing delivered by the port chaplain Deacon Peter Barrigan.
The Emerald Duchess – built by renowned Dutch shipbuilder Neptune - is a major investment by PD Ports, as dredging activity on the Tees takes place daily and is vital to keep the river safe and navigable for the thousands of vessels that visit its waters each year,
The Emerald Duchess is expected to serve the Tees for up to 50 years and has been ‘future-proofed’, with an innovative intelligent power management system including a battery pack equivalent to 10 Tesla cars and using fuel made from vegetable oil.
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