Recent Developments in Trailing Suction Dredgers

摘要

The design and constructing of a trailing suction hopper dredger -TSHD - has always been a special event in which all conventional ship design parameters were rearranged. Compared to a commercial vessel, a TSHD was a very costly vessel for its size. One of the most extraordinary design parameters is that the vessel will sail for 50% of the time empty. This is unthinkable for any commercial cargo vessel, but a given fact for a hopper dredge, and this fact influences the complete design of the vessel. During the last decades there was a great evolution in the design and construction of a trailing suction dredger. This evolution was clearly visible in the size of the dredgers, but also took place in the general layout of the vessel, as well as in the ever-increasing importance of electronics and automation in the operation and control of the vessel. Another important factor that has influenced the design of the TSHD is the environment. Over the years the dredgers did not get a good image regarding the impact and protection of the environment. The environmental issues are still becoming more and more important in the execution of a dredging operation. New vessels have special features to limit the impact of the dredging operations on the environment. This paper will give an overview of the latest developments and evolutions in the trailer suction hopper market and will pay extra attention to the recent specific changes, requested by the evolution of the market, in the trailer suction market.