Royal IHC and Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG) will design, engineer and supply key components, including all mission equipment and automation, of a new trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) for The Dutra Group. The design is based on the Beagle series of hopper dredgers.
The Dutra Group is a heavy civil and marine contractor in the United States. The Beagle design has been further customised to include increased loading and unloading capabilities, thereby enhancing its capacity for dredging operations in the United States.
The Beagle 10.2 Mk2 USA will be an add-on to Dutra’s existing 9870 y3 (about 7550 m3) TSHD Stuyvesant. The new TSHD is set to work in the field of maintenance, capital deepening projects, restoration and storm recovery work, and beach nourishment.
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Fourth hopper dredger with Eastern Shipbuilding
‘This collaboration underlines Royal IHC’s commitment to providing innovative, state-of-the-art and cost-effective dredging solutions to meet the specific needs of our customers in the US,’ adds Leo van Ingen, Sales Director North America at Royal IHC. ‘This vessel will be the fourth hopper dredger built in partnership with Eastern Shipbuilding Group. We look forward to serving the US dredging market with many more to come.’
The Dutra Group delivers complex, large-scale marine infrastructure projects, from harbour maintenance to land reclamation. Dutra’s President and Chief Executive Officer Harry Stuart comments: ‘We highly value our collaboration with Royal IHC and Eastern Shipbuilding Group in building this new trailing suction hopper dredger. The advanced Beagle design, tailored to Dutra’s requirements, will significantly enhance our ability to execute complex dredging projects across the United States.’
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About the Beagle
The Beagle 10.2 Mk2 USA is a TSHD with a hopper capacity of 8000 m3 and is part of Royal IHC’s versatile and modular standardised hopper dredgers. The Beagle is known for its efficiency and reliability in diverse dredging operations. Key features include:
- Modular design: The Beagle series is built with flexibility in mind, allowing future upgrades to keep up with the latest technological advancements in hardware and automation in the dredging industry.
- Advanced automation: Equipped with Royal IHC’s Mission Master – Dredging Assist, enabling semi-autonomous control of dredging and dumping processes. By integrating Dynamic Positioning and Dynamic Tracking with the Dredge path planner, it optimises efficiency, maximising production while minimising fuel consumption. With a human-in-the-loop approach, it requires minimal dredge master interaction.
- Online condition monitoring: Supports predictive and preventive maintenance by detecting anomalies in critical vessel and dredging equipment, such as vibrations and temperature fluctuations. Condition monitoring helps prevent damage, reduces unplanned downtime and dry-docking costs, and extends machinery lifespan.
Picture by Royal IHC.
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