Boskalis Orders Two Trailing Suction Hopper Dredgers

Dredging concern Royal Boskalis Westminster nv has placed an order with shipyard IHC Holland for the construction of two innovative 12,000m³ hoppers. The order is part of the multi-year fleet expansion program at Boskalis. The ships will be completed in December 2009 and April 2011. The order involves an investment of more than € 200 million.

The new ships stand out because of the use of innovative technologies, strengthening the Boskalis market position in the segment for ‘large trailing suction hopper dredgers’. They will have two separate hoppers, allowing for the optimal use of their capacity in all circumstances, including shallow waters. In addition, the pumping capacity on the vessels is high, allowing them to pump large volumes over longer distances. This means that they can be used in a wide range of projects throughout the world, for both large-scale land reclamation and the construction of ports and waterways. Boskalis has a modern fleet with trend-setting ships, a broad geographical spread, and activities in all market segments. The company has a multi-year fleet expansion program that will strengthen its position on a global market that is growing rapidly. The program involves a total investment of approximately € 850 million and includes the construction of four hoppers with capacities varying from 5,600m³ to 12,000m³, the lengthening of the Queen of the Netherlands into a mega hopper of 35,500m³ and the construction of jumbo cutter Phoenix, as well as a fallpipe vessel and various other specialized ships for the energy markets. The ships will go into service between 2007 and 2011.

In addition, Boskalis is preparing for investments in a new generation of jumbo cutters that will be added to the company's fleet in the years to come, for replacement of older tonnage in the longer term.