Boskalis has signed a contract with Dutch shipbuilding company Royal IHC to build a large trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) with hopper capacity of 31,000m3 to be built at the IHC yard in Krimpen aan den IJssel, the Netherlands.
The vessel is being prepared for the use of green methanol as an alternative fuel. Methanol plant and storage tanks on board will enable this fuel switch. Furthermore, the dual fuel main engines are equipped with two-stage turbos and can be powered by both conventional fuels and more sustainable alternatives such as biodiesel and methanol, providing for a substantial reduction of CO2 emissions.
The new vessel will be one of the largest TSHDs in the Boskalis fleet. Noteworthy features of the energy-efficient vessel design include the full diesel-electric installation and propulsion via Azipods. Combined with the optimised underwater hull design and an advanced automation system, these features will contribute to a significantly lower fuel consumption.
With a double suction pipe equipped with underwater pumps and two discharge pumps with a combined discharge capacity of 15,000kW, the new TSHD is suited to dredging material and discharge this over long distances to a reclamation site. This powerful performance contributes to increased efficiency of the dredging process.
The new vessel is expected to enter service in mid-2026. Thanks to its design and technology, this vessel marks a significant step in making Boskalis’ dredging fleet more sustainable.
A TSHD extracts and transports sand or sediment by dragging a trailing head attached to a long suction pipe with water jets while travelling over the seabed, as a result of which the material to be dredged is loosened in front of the suction head. Large centrifugal pumps transport the dredged material to the hopper from where it is later deposited (through bottom doors) or discharged through a pipeline or sprayed to a reclamation area. Applications of the hopper dredger include the deepening and maintenance of ports and waterways and protecting coastlines from erosion and the effects of climate change.
