Posted on August 12, 2025
From the first concept on paper to a fully operational machine, Manson Project Manager Jordan Brown reflects on the collective effort it took to bring America’s largest self-propelled trailing suction hopper dredge, the FREDERICK PAUP, to life. The journey spanned over a decade starting with pre-planning by Vice President and Gulf & East Coast Dredging Manager Henry Schorr and the Equipment Engineering group using lessons learned from the previous hopper dredge build, the GLENN EDWARDS.
“The project in its entirety has been incredibly rewarding,” Jordan shares. “It certainly had its challenges, but the dedication and hard work from several teams at Manson including the Equipment Engineering group, Equipment Department, Contracts & Insurance, and Yard Personnel supported Seatrium AmFELS (formerly Keppel AmFELS) to ensure a successful build of the FREDERICK PAUP.”
Setting Boots Down in Brownsville
The foundation for the FREDERICK PAUP morphed from blueprint to reality when Manson’s executive leadership entrusted Seatrium to construct the 15,000-yd3, 420-foot-long, and 81-foot-wide dredge at their shipyard facility located at the Port of Brownsville, TX.
Launching the project required a deep partnership between Seatrium and Manson— the latter having already dedicated thousands of hours to the design phase with naval architecture firm Hockema Group several years prior— to see the dredge build through. To maintain a strong presence and oversee construction closely, Jordan, along with Port Engineer Sean Hayden and Project Engineer Morrgan Haack, made the pivotal decision to relocate to Brownsville in February 2021, bringing their families along for the journey.
“The best-laid plans can shift during construction,” Jordan explains. “You have to be adaptable and make decisions to best support the work, and for us, that meant relocating to the project.”
The team’s relocation not only strengthened the management of the build phase, but it also allowed the team to build friendships outside of the project—adapting to their new environment and experiencing life-changing events together— which made communication easier during challenging situations.
“We’ve all had unique life experiences since moving to Brownsville,” Jordan explains. “My wife taught elementary school here until our baby was born. Sean and I got our motorcycle licenses and Morrgan received his pilot’s license. This was a complex project to work on, and it required working with the same group of people year-in and year-out. On projects like this your coworkers become your default extended family and friends to rely on at work and outside of work.”
Seatrium spent the first year cutting and fabricating most of the hull’s components—ensuring a structure capable of supporting the heavy machinery required for dredge operations. Throughout the cutting and fabrication process, the project team focused on several critical components, including hull design, finalizing dredge gear designs, and getting the Owner Furnished Equipment—designs and equipment provided by Manson— fabricated around the world.
Dredging components such as the pumps, motors, dragarms, weirs, catwalk, bow pulpit, thrusters, and davits were fabricated and delivered via truck from several fabricators across the U.S., with frequent on-site visits from several members of the project team and Equipment Engineering group.
“The project team and the Equipment Engineering group have participated in every inspection and test of the fabrication and cutting process,” Jordan says. “From welding, pressure testing, fitting, installation, commissioning, modifications, and painting, the list goes on and on.”
Designing a Dredging Powerhouse
Led by Equipment Engineering Manager Nick Maddox, the Equipment Engineering group ran through every detail to finalize the design of the dredging system. This in-house effort ensured that major dredging components—including the davits, trunnion system, weirs, pumps, dragarms, and thrusters—were optimized for safety and peak efficiency.
Compared to the GLENN EDWARDS, the FREDERICK PAUP is a significant leap, boasting cutting-edge technology, including five Tier 4 Wabtec diesel-electric engines to meet environmental standards for better air quality and a sliding trunnion carriage for the dragarms. The Equipment Engineering group introduced the idea for the new trunnion carriage during the early parts of the planning phase, seeking to enhance safety and improve access points for crews on the dredge.
“One of the newest features is the automation of the trunnion, allowing the arms to stow more efficiently and eliminating the use of a crane to bring the arms in,” explains Equipment Engineer Zach Glaser. “This enhances production, safety, and mobilization efforts on jobs.”
Additional features of the dredge include a starboard passageway in the hull that allows the crew access to internal compartments and to walk fore-and-aft the entire vessel under deck providing overhead protection for safety. The dredge also includes an exercise room for the crew to stay active during their downtime.
Port Engineer Sean Hayden giving an inside tour of the FREDERICK PAUP to Manson’s Executive Team. Pictured (L-R): Sean, Senior Vice President & General Counsel Laurie Pinard, Former President & CEO John Holmes, Chairman of the Board & Executive Vice President Fred Paup, and President & CEO Jim McNally. Photo credit: Jordan Brown—Project Manager
To ensure smooth execution, the project team and equipment group held monthly summit meetings at the Seatrium shipyard, allowing Manson engineers to finalize dredging equipment designs and discuss future planning efforts.
A prime example of strategic problem-solving came with the bow coupling, a critical mechanical component that connects the dredge to a floating pipe for beach projects. Originally ordered as a single assembled unit, supply chain challenges during the tail end of the COVID-19 pandemic required the team to develop an alternative solution. Instead, the bow coupling was shipped in pieces and reassembled at the shipyard.
“Our team in Brownsville has done an excellent job overseeing the dredge’s progress,” says Chairman of the Board & Executive Vice President Fred Paup—who the vessel is named after. “Our capabilities and sheer capacity have dramatically increased, so we have to ramp up our project management game.”
A Milestone Moment: Launching the FREDERICK PAUP
After two years of meticulous steel cutting and fabrication, the Manson project team and the Seatrium team prepared the FREDERICK PAUP for a three-day transport to the Solomon P. Ortiz (decommissioned in November 2024) floating dry dock at the Port of Brownsville. Using self-propelled modular transporters, the dredge was transported from the erection site to the East Quay location. On the second day, the FREDERICK PAUP was transferred to the Jones Act Deck Barge and was pushed by third-party tugs and moored at Solomon P. Ortiz. On the third and final day, the FREDERICK PAUP was aligned and transferred into the dry dock.
In July 2023, the FREDERICK PAUP was successfully launched into the water—marking a major milestone in the project’s timeline.
The snapshot of the project team aboard the FREDERICK PAUP. Photo credit: FREDERICK PAUP Project Team
The focus shifted to the installation of dredge equipment, systems start up, integration, and testing. The newly assigned dredge crew, led by Captains Eric Wong and Mike Coffey, played a vital role in ensuring regulatory requirements were fulfilled and began outfitting the vessel for departure. Chief Engineers Jerry White and Paul Stagg were critical to the execution of inspections, installation, and commissioning of equipment.
The Final Stretch: Trials and Commissioning
In 2025, the project’s final phases include dock and sea trials—rigorous tests designed to validate the dredge’s functionality and compliance with requirements set by the American Bureau of Shipping and the United States Coast Guard.
Once trials are successfully completed, the FREDERICK PAUP will join Manson’s fleet, marking the company’s largest investment since its founding in 1905.
“The FREDERICK PAUP is a testament to what can be achieved when every facet of a company unites toward a common goal,” says Vice President of Equipment Brad Martin. “This project reflects Manson’s deep commitment to innovation and leadership in the dredging industry.”
