DEME and Royal IHC launch trailing suction hopper dredger ‘Meuse River’

On Saturday, 16 November 2019, DEME and Royal IHC successfully launched the 7,950m³ trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) ‘Meuse River’. The ceremony took place at IHC’s shipyard in Krimpen aan den IJssel, the Netherlands.

‘Meuse River’ has the same innovative design as the award winning IHC-built TSHD ‘Scheldt River’, that joined the DEME fleet in 2017 and which has operated non-stop on waterways and access channels in Europe ever since.

‘Meuse River’ features several energy smart technologies, developed by DEME and IHC, such as a hybrid dredge pump drive system to reduce the effect of load variations. For automation of the dredging process, IHC developed the intelligent IHC ECO automation package, which results in higher dredging performance. Additionally, better fuel efficiency in sailing and dredging conditions is achieved with two-speed propulsion and combinator mode.

The vessel will strengthen the DEME fleet in 2020.

Luc Vandenbulcke, CEO of DEME: “With our multi-year investment programme, we aim to operate the most technologically advanced fleet in the industry. We want to make sure our vessels are futureproof by continually pursuing enhanced productivity and efficiency goals. Building on the success of our pioneering trailing suction hopper dredger ‘Scheldt River’ we can provide our customers with an identical, versatile and highly efficient vessel for a wide range of dredging activities.”

Dave Vander Heyde, CEO of Royal IHC: “We are proud that after we have successfully delivered ‘Scheldt River’ to DEME, we have reached this milestone for ‘Meuse River’ – another IHC-built TSHD prefitted to be capable of operating on LNG. The cooperation with DEME has proven to be successful in the past, and we are pleased to continue our partnership with them by adding more value and technical capabilities to their advanced fleet.”

DEME is a world leader in the highly specialised fields of dredging, marine engineering and environmental remediation. The company can build on more than 140 years of know-how and experience and has fostered a pioneering approach throughout its history, being a front runner in innovation and new technologies.

DEME’s vision is to work towards a sustainable future by offering solutions for global challenges: a rising sea level, a growing population, reduction of CO2 emissions, polluted rivers and soils and the scarcity of natural resources. Although DEME’s activities originated with the core dredging business, the portfolio diversified substantially over the decades, including dredging and land reclamation, solutions for the offshore energy market, infra marine solutions and environmental solutions.

While the company’s roots are in Belgium, DEME has built a strong presence in all of the world’s seas and continents, operating in more than 90 countries worldwide. DEME can rely on 5,200 highly skilled professionals across the globe. With a versatile and modern fleet of over 100 vessels, backed by a broad range of auxiliary equipment, the company can provide solutions for even the most complex projects.

DEME achieved a turnover of 2.65 billion euros in 2018.