Construction to begin on new trailing suction hopper dredger for Dutra Group

San Rafael, California-based construction company The Dutra Group has issued a notice to proceed for the construction of a new trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) by the Eastern Shipbuilding Group of Panama City, Florida.

The 347-foot (106-metre) TSHD will be named Adele after Adele Coelho, the mother of The Dutra Group Executive Chairman Bill Dutra. It will utilise a design developed by Dutch engineering firm Royal IHC.

Notable features of the new dredger will include bottom doors for fast offloading and a bulbous bow to reduce water resistance. The wheelhouse and the accommodation block will be located near the bow.

The wheelhouse will have separate helm and dredging control stations, allowing for improved visibility during both navigation and dredging activities. The main diesel engines will drive the dredge pumps via gearbox.

Delivery of Adele is scheduled for late 2028. It will be operated alongside the 1981-built Stuyvesant, an existing TSHD in The Dutra Group’s fleet.