IHC Dredging and Cochin Shipyard have signed an agreement for a design and engineering, hardware and support package for the licensed construction of a Beagle® 12 trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD). The TSHD will be built by Cochin Shipyard for the Dredging Corporation of India (DCI). With the construction of this Beagle® 12, a high-capacity dredger (12,000 m3), DCI expands their fleet of trailing suction hopper dredgers.
Ronald van Son, Director Dredging Custom Vessels at IHC Dredging: “We are proud to be part of the ‘Make in India’ initiative by working together with DCI and Cochin Shipyard, India’s finest shipyard, on the first Indian built dredger of this size and capacity. With support being organised from our local office and workshop in Mumbai.”
IHC Dredging has been active in India for almost 100 years, building the first dredger in 1926. Ronald van Son: “This new order underlines the good and longstanding relationship with DCI. We have built all ten trailing suction hopper dredgers in their fleet. Our ambition is to build strong relationships with our customers. Now and in the future. Therefore, we are very keen to commence this new path of continued partnership within the Atmanirbhar initiative.”
With the construction of this new TSHD for DCI, IHC Dredging is looking forward to become the technical partner of Cochin Shipyard. Ronald van Son: “This partnership speaks to the expertise and experience we have in designing and engineering TSHD’s and state-of-the-art equipment, also partly locally build at IHC Dredging in Mumbai. In this way we are able to support DCI in the growing demand for (port) maintenance and dredging services with sustainable solutions.” The new dredging vessel will be used by DCI for safeguarding and improving the accessibility of the ports and waterways of India.
The new vessel to be built is part of the Beagle® series of medium sized TSHDs. These TSHDs have a hopper volume ranging from 4,000 to 12,000m3, are designed for a wide range of dredging activities and are known for their high efficiency and maximum uptime.