Dredging News

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.

Damen Shipyards Group has announced the successful delivery of four advanced dredging component packages for Trailing Suction Hopper Dredgers (TSHDs). These vessels, which are being constructed at different shipyards in Central America, where two of them have already successfully undergone various dredge trials and have been accepted by the customer, while the remaining two are expected to be finished in 2026. The TSHDs are equipped with a dredge package designed and manufactured by Damen.

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation (Nasdaq: GLDD), the largest U.S. dredging contractor, reported third-quarter 2025 earnings that topped profit estimates but came in just shy of revenue expectations, reflecting steady operations amid a cooling federal project environment and a shrinking backlog.The company reported revenue of $195.2 million, a modest 2% increase from last year’s $191.2 million but below analyst estimates of around $200 million. Net income rose to $17.7 million…

In a year marked by uncertainty, the dredging industry remains resilient, adapting to evolving challenges with steady progress.As we look toward 2026, the outlook for dredging services and equipment remains strong, with the market projected to rise from $8.9 billion to $9.3 billion—a 4.5% year-over-year improvement.Yet, as demand grows and expectations shift, industry operators must ask a more nuanced question: should they invest in brand-new equipment or retrofit existing assets?This decision is rarely straightforward; rather, it’s shaped by a multitude of practical considerations.

Van Oord has been awarded the IADC Safety Award 2025 during the Annual General Meeting of the International Association of Dredging Companies (IADC) in Stockholm, Sweden.The award recognises Van Oord’s newly designed gasket that significantly reduces the risk of injury during pipe assembly.When connecting the flanges of steel reclamation pipes, a paper gasket is placed in between to seal the gap. When using traditional gaskets, workers have to hold the gaskets in place during the sealing process, creating a potential risk of finger injuries.

AD Ports Group announced the signing of a major dredging agreement between its Karachi Gateway Terminal and Van Oord, a Netherlands-based leader in dredging and marine contracting, to expand the flow of trade through the Group’s port terminals in Pakistan.Led by the Group’s international ports operating arm, Noatum Ports, the project will deepen berths and navigational channels at Karachi Gateway Terminal (KGTL), a container terminal, enabling the accommodation of vessels from 305 meters to 350 meters in length and 13 meters to 15.5 meters in draft.

Mobile Pulley, a manufacturer of pumps, dredging equipment, and heavy industrial components, has appointed Stirling Snow as its new Director of Engineering in Mobile, Alabama.Snow brings nearly a decade of hands-on experience in design and engineering, and will help drive innovation in Mobile Pulley’s core capabilities - casting, machining, fabrication, and dredge pump systems.In his new role, Snow will lead the engineering team in developing and delivering end-to-end solutions…

Conrad Shipyard won the Western Dredging Association (WEDA) Safety Excellence Award in the Dredging Trade Partner category, a recognition that highlights Conrad's commitment to safety, operational excellence, and its partnership with the U.S. dredging industry. Presented late last month during the 2025 WEDA Annual Dredging Summit & Expo, it celebrates companies who demonstrate outstanding safety performance and continuous improvement in protecting personnel, property, and the environment.

McCullough Engineering Services (MES) announced the successful completion of restoration efforts on the Stuyvesant, a trailing suction hopper dredge owned by The Dutra Group. The vessel suffered significant fire damage on November 2, 2024, and was returned to full operational status in less than eight months, completing sea trials on June 20, 2025.The repair work was conducted at BAE Systems Jacksonville, with MES leading the project from damage assessment through final commissioning.

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 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baltimore District, has received more than $218 million in funding for numerous infrastructure improvement, dredging and environmental projects benefiting Maryland, Pennsylvania, southern New York, and the District of Columbia.The financing includes $62 million towards Baltimore Harbor operations and maintenance and $71.9 million for the Mid-Chesapeake Bay Island project.This funding is through the fiscal year 2025 Work Plan for the Army Civil Works Program, which is Congressionally authorized funding specifically for USACE.

Alternative investment firm Investcorp has signed a cooperation agreement to invest in a $550 million infrastructure project in Port of Duqm in Oman.Investcorp Aberdeen Infrastructure Partners (AIIP) – a joint venture with Aberdeen plc, will be the shareholder in the project, alongside the Port of Duqm Company, the DEME Group and Port of Antwerp Bruges (jointly formed a consortium named CAP INFRA).This investment is closely aligned with AIIP’s mandate to invest in long-term concessions across the GCC countries and the broader MENA region…

We are at the one-year since the Francis Scott Key (FSK) Bridge collapsed over the Patapsco River’s Fort McHenry Channel in Baltimore, Maryland. Nearly 100 percent of the wreckage and debris removal was conducted by the Jones Act private sector U.S. maritime industry. The FSK collapsed at about 1:28 a.m. local time on March 26, 2025 after the container ship MV DALI lost power and collided with one of bridge’s support piers. Six construction workers died in the collapse, while two other workers survived the fall into the freezing water.

The Dutra Group, a California-based heavy civil marine contractor, has issued a notice to proceed to Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG) for the construction of a 10,464 cubic yard trailing suction hopper dredge, named Adele.The ship will be constructed at ESG's Allanton and Port St. Joe facilities. Delivery is scheduled for late 2028.The Adele will join The Dutra Group’s 9,870 cubic yard trailing suction hopper dredge Stuyvesant serving our nation’s essential waterways.The newbuild will be based on Royal IHC’s Beagle design.

A joint venture between Jan De Nul and DEME has signed a letter of award with Indian engineering and construction company ITD Cementation for dredging and reclamation works in Vadhavan Port during a Belgian economic mission to India.The project includes nearshore reclamation and shore protection for the greenfield port, which is located on India’s west coast in Maharashtra. Spanning approximately 200 hectares, the land reclamation will facilitate the construction of breakbulk…

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…

Manson Construction Co. (Manson) announced that James (Jim) McNally, previously Manson’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (COO), has assumed the role of President and CEO as of March 3, 2025.“The Board of Directors unanimously approves of Mr. McNally taking the reins of Manson due to his excellent performance as COO and his long-time industry experience,” announces Frederick Paup, Manson Chairman of the Board. “He is indeed wicked smart, which any Rhode Islander understands is the highest of compliments.”Since becoming COO in 2016, Mr.

Technology group Wärtsilä has signed a five-year lifecycle agreement with NMDC Group, one of the largest dredging and marine contractors in the Middle East.The agreement will focus on optimizing the availability and operational efficiency of NMDC’s dredging fleet.It covers seven of NMDC’s dredgers, with the potential to expand the scope to additional vessels in the future.The scope includes a tailor-made maintenance program for the engine and propulsion equipment onboard the vessels, as well as digital solutions and performance guarantees.

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.

Belgian company DEME Group was the sole firm to bid in the Argentine government's tender for a major maintenance contract for the Parana waterway, a key route for grains transport, the government said on Wednesday.The bid could mark a major shakeup in dredging the river, part of a route from inland areas of Paraguay, Bolivia and southern Brazil out to sea. Argentina ships out some 80% of its massive farm exports along the waterway.Belgian rival Jan de Nul currently holds the concession to maintain the river and has for decades…

Van Oord, in cooperation with ZEDHub, Smart Delta Drechtsteden, the Municipality of Dordrecht and Port of Rotterdam, has demonstrated the operation of the fully electric crane vessel Christiaan P, a first for the dredging industry.Christiaan P. is a crane vessel owned by Paans Van Oord which was retrofitted to remove its engines and replace them with electric motors. The crane was also replaced by an electric one. The vessel is used for various kinds of marine engineering work…

Port Houston achieved a historic milestone in 2024, handling a record-breaking 53.07 million tons of cargo, a 6% increase over 2023 at its public terminals. Container volume also surged by 8%, reinforcing the port's critical role in facilitating trade and driving economic growth for Houston, the surrounding region, and the nation."Houston is at the heart of our nation’s trade, connecting our region to global markets," said Charlie Jenkins, CEO of Port Houston. "This record tonnage achievement reflects the dedication of our team and our strong partnerships with labor and key stakeholders.