Cutter Suction News

C&C Marine and Repair has delivered the M/V Al Sloss to Canal Barge Company, completing the first vessel in a four-boat newbuild series currently under construction for the New Orleans-based operator.The 2,600-horsepower, 87- x 34-ft. towboat was designed by C&C Marine and Repair’s in-house engineering team and constructed on an accelerated schedule, with delivery completed in approximately six months.Delivery of the remaining three vessels in the series is scheduled to follow at two- to three-month intervals.The M/V Al Sloss is powered by two Mitsubishi S12-R main engines…

Belgium’s Jan De Nul is commissioning what it calls its most advanced offshore wind installation simulator, a digital twin of its vessels Les Alizés and Voltaire designed to train crews to install the latest generation of giant wind turbines and foundations at sea.The crane simulator, installed at the company’s Aalst office, features a seven-meter-wide dome offering a 360-degree view and allows operators to rehearse complex installation operations at heights exceeding 150 meters.Wind turbine tip heights now reach 300 metres…

The United States dredging industry stands as one of the most competitive, efficient, and strategically vital sectors of the maritime economy. As part of the Jones Act fleet—the original Build America, Buy America industry — it not only strengthens our ports and waterways but also anchors thousands of middle-class jobs, spurs shipbuilding across the Gulf and East Coasts, and delivers exceptional value for taxpayers.The last several years have ushered in a quiet renaissance. Dredging firms large and small are modernizing their fleets, expanding capacity, and deepening critical U.S.

Financially, 2024 was a positive year for Damen Shipyards Group. Revenue remained just above USD$3.47 billion (3 billion euros). Net profit rose from USD$49.8 million (43 million euros) to USD$67.1 million (58 million euros). The order book was filled with a record USD$6.83 billion (5.9 billion euros) in new orders, rising to USD$12 billion (10.4 billion euros). In 2024, Damen delivered no fewer than 146 new vessels to clients. This included the Volta 1 and the Bu Tinah. The former is Europe's first fully electric tug, which has been put into service by the Port of Antwerp-Bruges in Belgium.

The International Association of Dredging Companies (IADC) bestowed the Young Author Award 2025 to Rick van de Wetering, Research Engineer at Royal IHC and Ph.D. candidate at Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands. IADC’s Young Author Award is given annually to “stimulate the promotion of new ideas and encourage younger men and women in the dredging industry." The award is granted at industry-leading conferences, with 2025’s winning young authors selected from the proceedings of the 24th WODCON Congress…

The International Association of Dredging Companies (IADC) announced that Arnold de Bruijn (1980) will join the association in April as the eventual successor to Secretary-General, René Kolman, who has represented the international dredging sector since 2008. Kolman will retire on November 1, 2025 and, following that transition period, De Bruijn will formally take over the role of Secretary-General.de Bruijn has valuable background in the dredging industry. He began his career at Royal IHC…

Belgium-based offshore installation contractor Jan De Nul has started working on the new deep-water port in Senegal, which will be able to accommodate two of the world's largest container ships simultaneously.Jan De Nul is responsible for dredging the five-kilometer access channel and will create an 89-hectare platform for maritime services and container storage.In total, the works are expected to take two and a half years to complete.The Port of Dakar is nearing its maximum capacity, and the surrounding area is fully saturated.

Manson Construction has long been a pillar of the U.S. maritime industry, rooted in a tradition of U.S.-built, U.S.-owned, and U.S.-operated vessels. The company was founded in 1905 by Peter Manson, when he dug up a jar of gold coins [because he didn’t trust the banks] and purchased a winch, a winch that was then put on a barge and that became Manson's first pile driver. With barge-mounted pile driver, Manson Construction  embarked on its journey into marine construction and eventually dredging, a journey which continues today as it has become a dominant player today in the U.S.

In this episode of Maritime Matters:Manson Construction is a U.S. Jones Act dredging and marine construction firm, founded in 1905 and family owned until converting to an employee-owned company in 2012. Fred Paup, Chairman of the Board, EVP, discussed with Maritime Matters: The MarineLink Podcast, to drivers for this multi-billion dollar company in 2025 and beyond, from finding and retaining the best crews, to the construction of the $200 million+ 15,000 cu. yd.

Seatrium has been awarded a contract by Japan-based Penta-Ocean Construction (POC) to carry out the engineering, procurement and construction for a 5,000-ton fully revolving heavy lift vessel project for the Japanese offshore wind market.This will be the fifth and largest vessel to be added to POC’s fleet, enabling them to undertake larger wind turbine projects in offshore wind construction.POC is Japan’s leading marine contractor with a keen interest to expand its business in the offshore wind sector…

The first cutter suction dredger to be built in Azerbaijan, Damen Cutter Suction Dredger (CSD) 650, is progressing according to schedule, with a planned delivery later in 2025.Baku Shipyard is building the CSD 650, with the design of the dredger and its materials package delivered by Damen Shipyards Group.The dredger, which will be ready later this year, will be operated by the Port of Baku, a transport hub on the western shore of the Caspian Sea.Named Engineer Soltan Kazimov…

Muddy Water Dredging’s new cutter suction dredge (CSD) Vaneta Marie “represents the future of dredging technology”, according to Bill Wetta, senior vice president, and chief technology officer of DSC Dredge, the Reserve, La. based company that built the dredge, and one of Maritime Reporter & Engineering News' 'Great Ships of 2024.'Christened during a ceremony in New Orleans earlier this year, Vaneta Marie is a fully customized Marlin Class dredge that measures 371 ft. long, making…

Van Oord has finished dredging two new port basins in Ain Sokhna Port, successfully completing a project that forms part of a port expansion program meant to improve and develop the Suez Canal Economic Zone and harness the potential of the Suez Canal as a global hub for maritime transport.The General Authority for the Suez Canal Economic Zone and the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Egypt awarded Van Oord the contract to dredge approximately 21 million cubic meters of soil to create two new port basins.

Seatrium has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Japan-based Penta-Ocean Construction (POC) to carry out early engineering work for a 5,000t fully-revolving heavy lift vessel project for the Japan wind market.Subject to the final investment decision by POC, the full EPC contract award is expected in 1Q 2025.POC owns a range of self-propelling trailing suction hopper and cutter suction dredgers for marine construction works as well as two turbine installation vessels equipped with a 800t and a 1,600t lifting capacity crane respectively.

Damen’s new cutter suction dredger, the first of Damen CSD600 series, has started operations in Indonesia.The dredger was transported from Rotterdam, the Netherlands to Indonesia as deck cargo on a heavy lift carrier.The stationary dredger, which has been named Jhoni 58, is working on a maintenance dredging project.The dredging operation is located at the Port of Batulicin on the island of Kalimantan. The main activities of the port relate to its important coal terminal.The busy access channel is used by numerous coal barge transports.

RSC Bio Solutions has created ENVIROLOGIC® High-Tack Grease 2 as part of its high-performance grease product range.The biodegradable lubricant is designed specifically to seal out contaminants like water and debris in high-speed applications along with reducing industrial and equipment wear and friction.ENVIROLOGIC® High-Tack Grease is a VGP-compliant grease for use in cutter suction dredge and jack up boat applications. The grease was designed to adhere to metal surfaces using highly effective polymers developed specifically by RSC Bio Solutions.

Van Oord’s cutter suction dredger Biesbosch and trailing suction hopper dredger Vox Apolonia are teaming up to dredge the Prinses Amaliahaven located on Maasvlakte in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.A consortium of Van Oord, HOCHTIEF and Ballast Nedam has constructed 2.4 kilometres of new quay wall. The new quays are being dredged to a depth of more than 20 metres below sea level. This development means that the Port of Rotterdam Authority is ensuring an expansion of container capacity in Rotterdam.In total 1…

Galveston-based dredging contractor Callan Marine has been awarded a $136 million contract from Port Houston to dredge segment 1C of the Houston Ship Channel Expansion, under the port's Project 11 program.Callan will use its recently christened 32-inch cutter suction dredge, the General Arnold, among the newest, largest and most environmentally friendly cutter suction dredge in the U.S. fleet for the undertaking. The dredge features four EPA Tier 4 engines developing a combined 24…

Galveston, Texas based dredging contractor Callan Marine announced it has christened its newest cutter suction dredge (CSD), General Arnold, built by C&C Marine and Repair in Belle Chasse, La.The 32-inch CSD was ceremoniously christened in Corpus Christi, Texas, on February 20, 2024, and will immediately begin work on Phase Four of the Corpus Christi Ship Channel Improvement Project. The project will beneficially reuse 100%of the dredged material removed from the channel deepening and widening.The General Arnold is the newest, largest, and most environmentally friendly dredge in the U.S.

Dutch shipbuilder Damen has delivered the first-of-its-series Cutter Suction Dredger (CSD) 600 to an Indonesian customer, PT. Dua Samudera Perkasa.The vessel was sold immediately after completion at the Damen Dredging Equipment yard. It form part of a complete dredging package, which includes ship transportation, training of the crew on location as well as dredge spares to facilitate maintenance duties.The CSD600, which is being shipped as deck cargo at present, is a brand-new type of dismountable dredger…

Indonesian firm PT. Jhonlin Marine Trans has placed an order for two dredges from Royal IHC, based in the Netherlands.Jhonlin Marine Trans is the marine subsidiary of Jhonlin Group, one of the largest companies in Indonesia under the ownership of Mr. Samsudin Andi Arsyad. Rangga Rishar Saputra, Country Manager Indonesia for Royal IHC, said, “We are grateful that Jhonlin and Mr. Isam has put their faith in IHC Dredging in developing their dredging capacity. The investment in the Beagle 4 and Beaver 65 as the first purchase from IHC Dredging is a significant commitment.

Three new cutter suction dredgers (CSD) built in the Netherlands by Damen Dredging Equipment (DDE) were commissioned in the harbor of Veracruz, Mexico, for SEMAR.The three CSD250s are not the first Damen dredgers to be operated by SEMAR. Over the past few years, Damen has delivered a number of CSD500s, a CSD450 and a CSD650. All of these dredgers operate on an array of projects along both coastlines of Mexico.“It has been a pleasure to renew our cooperation with SEMAR,” Horacio Delgado Bravo, sales manager at Damen Shipyards states.

Earlier this year Damen Shipyards received the order for four complete dredge packages to be installed in trailing suction hopper dredgers (TSHDs) currently under construction in Mexico for SEMAR. The identical TSHDs will be fitted out with dredge packages including the trailing pipe, a dredge pump, and various hopper loading and discharging equipment.At present, the four hopper dredgers are under construction at three different Mexican yards. The vessels have been optimized to receive a Damen dredge package…