IHC Merwede Group has the received an order for the construction of a 30,000m³ jumbo trailing suction hopper dredger for the Belgian contractor DEME.

The contract for the ship has gone to IHC Dredgers BV and construction will take place at the IHC Krimpen Shipyard in Krimpen aan den IJssel. Completion is planned for mid-2011.

The ship has a relatively shallow draught of 12m and can be used in a wide range of operations. The other dimensions of the ship are based on the principles elaborated in the series of trailers built recently for DEME.

The vessel is 168m long and it has a maximum dredging depth of 56m.

This is the 90th dredging vessel to be produced by IHC Merwede for DEME. The 88th ship, the 5,600 m³ TSHD Artevelde, was launched in December of last year at IHC Beaver Dredgers yard in Sliedrecht.

The launch of the 89th vessel for DEME (another trailer) is planned for late December 2010 at the VSH yard in Heusden