The newly built trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) Seaway departed from Royal IHC shipyard in Krimpen aan den IJssel yesterday for an intensive trial program on the North Sea.
The new dredger will be more than just a vessel; it is the largest newbuild in the Boskalis’ history, and above all, the largest trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) ever built at a Dutch shipyard.
The giant TSHD will have a hopper capacity of 31,000 cubic meters, making it not only one of the largest trailing suction hopper dredgers in the world but also one of the most modern, thanks in part to its energy-efficient design.
Also, thanks to the application of various technological innovations – such as a fully diesel-electric system, an Azipod™ propulsion, and an advanced automation system – the vessel will have significantly lower fuel consumption than older vessels of comparable size. The vessel is also being prepared for the use of (green) methanol as an alternative fuel.
The TSHD is equipped with two suction pipes with a submersible pump and two delivery pumps with a combined delivery capacity of 15,000 kW. This enables the vessel to dredge sand and pump it over long distances to a reclamation area.