TSHD Beagle® for The Dutra Group - Royal IHC partners with Eastern Shipbuilding Group

Royal IHC has signed a contract with Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG) for the design, engineering and supply of key components, including all mission equipment and automation, of a new trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD)  for The Dutra Group, a leading heavy civil and marine contractor in the United States. The design is based on the Beagle^® series of hopper dredgers and has been further customised to include increased loading and unloading capabilities, thereby enhancing its capacity for dredging operations in the United States.

Beagle^® joins Dutra’s TSHD Stuyvesant

The Beagle^® 10.2 Mk2 USA will be an add-on to Dutra’s existing 9,870cy TSHD Stuyvesant. The new TSHD is set to work in the field of maintenance, capital deepening projects, restoration and storm recovery work, and beach nourishment.

Solution for complex projects

The Dutra Group is renowned for its ability to deliver complex, large-scale marine infrastructure projects, from harbour maintenance to land reclamation. Dutra’s President and Chief Executive Officer Harry Stuart commented: “We highly value our collaboration with Royal IHC and Eastern Shipbuilding Group in building this new trailing suction hopper dredger. The advanced Beagle^® design, tailored to Dutra’s requirements, will significantly enhance our ability to execute complex dredging projects across the United States.” 

Cost-effective dredging solution 

Leo van Ingen, Sales Director North America at Royal IHC: “This collaboration underlines Royal IHC’s commitment to providing innovative, state-of-the-art and cost-effective dredging solutions to meet the specific needs of our customers in the U.S. This vessel will be the fourth hopper dredger built in partnership with Eastern Shipbuilding Group. We look forward to serving the U.S. dredging market with many more to come.” 

About the Beagle^® 

The Beagle^® 10.2 Mk2 USA is a TSHD with a hopper capacity of 8,000 m³ and is part of Royal IHC’s versatile and modular standardised hopper dredgers. The Beagle is known for its efficiency and reliability in diverse dredging operations. Key features include:

• Modular design: The Beagle^® series is built with flexibility in mind, allowing future upgrades to keep up with the latest technological advancements in hardware and automation in the dredging industry.
• Advanced automation: Equipped with Royal IHC’s Mission Master - Dredging Assist, enabling semi-autonomous control of dredging and dumping processes. By integrating Dynamic Positioning and Dynamic Tracking with the Dredge path planner, it optimises efficiency, maximising production while minimising fuel consumption. With a human-in-the-loop approach, it requires minimal dredge master interaction.
• Online condition monitoring:  Supports predictive and preventive maintenance by detecting anomalies in critical vessel and dredging equipment, such as vibrations and temperature fluctuations. Condition monitoring helps prevent damage, reduces unplanned downtime and dry-docking costs, and extends machinery lifespan.