Boskalis, a leading dredging and maritime services provider, has entered into a contract with Dutch shipbuilding company Royal IHC to construct a cutting-edge trailing suction hopper dredger. The contract comes after an extensive design phase.
The new vessel will be one of the largest trailing suction hopper dredgers in Boskalis’ fleet, boasting a remarkable hopper capacity of 31,000 m3. Construction will take place at the IHC yard in Krimpen aan den IJssel, the Netherlands, over the next few years. The new vessel is expected to enter service in mid-2026.
This state-of-the-art dredger will incorporate several noteworthy features aimed at efficiency and sustainability. It will utilize a full diesel-electric installation and propulsion system powered by Azipods™, an innovative technology that enhances maneuverability. Additionally, the vessel’s optimized underwater hull design and advanced automation system will contribute to a significant reduction in fuel consumption.
The environmental impact of the dredger is also a top priority. The vessel is being prepared for the use of green methanol as an alternative fuel, with onboard methanol plants and storage tanks facilitating this transition. The dual fuel main engines, equipped with two-stage turbos, will be capable of running on conventional fuels as well as more sustainable alternatives like biodiesel and methanol, resulting in a substantial reduction of CO2 emissions.
Trailing suction hopper dredgers play a crucial role in extracting and transporting sand or sediment from the seabed. These vessels use a trailing head attached to a long suction pipe, which is dragged over the seabed while water jets loosen the material to be dredged. The dredged material is then transported to the hopper through large centrifugal pumps and can later be deposited or discharged to a reclamation area through various methods. The applications of hopper dredgers include deepening and maintaining ports and waterways, as well as protecting coastlines from erosion and the impacts of climate change.
Equipped with a double suction pipe featuring powerful underwater pumps and two discharge pumps, each with a discharge capacity of 15,000 kW, this new trailing suction hopper dredger will be highly efficient for dredging materials and transporting them over long distances to reclamation sites, helping to enhance the overall efficiency of the dredging process.
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