On March 10, Dutch shipbuilder Royal IHC announced via its official website that it has signed a contract with La Congolaise des Voies Maritimes (CVM) for the construction of an Easydredge® 2700XL trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD).
The vessel will be customised to meet CVM’s specific operational needs, including greater autonomy, upgraded bow thruster and propulsion power, expanded accommodation, and advanced automation systems—optimising performance in challenging riverine conditions.
Royal IHC will deliver a comprehensive service package to support CVM throughout the first year of operation—including planned maintenance software, technical support, experienced crewing, and operational training—ensuring optimal performance from day one.
The TSHD will be built at our partner yard Nam Trieu in Vietnam, as part of our shipbuilding strategy of offering customers a wider range of choices, with the same reliability and quality level.
The Easydredge® 2700XL is part of Royal IHC’s proven range of standardised hopper dredgers, designed to combine cost-efficiency, adaptability, and ease of operation. With a hopper capacity of approximately 3,300 m³, the vessel is tailored for maintenance dredging and land reclamation projects, offering a robust and versatile solution for La Congolaise des Voies Maritimes.
Bert Jan ter Riet, COO of Royal IHC comments: “This contract underscores Royal IHC’s commitment to strengthening local dredging capacity within the region. It also fits our strategy for Africa, where we see ports striving for autonomy and a rising interest in dredging.”