The dredger honours the late Ray Donnelly, who retired as Chief of Resource Management for the USACE Philadelphia District in 2020.
Upon completion, Donnelly will have a length of 320 feet (98 metres), a beam of 72 feet (22 metres), a depth of 28 feet (8.5 metres), a maximum draught of 25.5 feet (7.8 metres), and a maximum hopper capacity of 6,000 cubic yards (4,600 cubic metres). With the suction tube set at 45 degrees, the vessel can dredge at a maximum depth of 65 feet (20 metres).
The hopper will be capable of loading fine sand to full capacity within 45 minutes.
