The vessel will have a hopper capacity of 31,000 m3 and will be one of the largest trailing suction hopper dredgers in theĀ BoskalisĀ fleet.
The new trailing suction hopper dredger will have a double suction pipe equipped with underwater pumps and two discharge pumps with a combined discharge capacity of 15,000 kW.
The vessel, which is expected to enter service in mid-2026, is being prepared for the use of (green) methanol as an alternative fuel.
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How a trailing suction hopper dredger works
A trailing suction hopper dredger is a vessel used to extract and transport sand or sediment by dragging a trailing head attached to a long suction pipe (2) with water jets (1) 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 (3) from where it is later deposited (through bottom doors) (4) or discharged (through a pipeline or sprayed – rainbowed – across the bow) (5) 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.
