Under the watchful eye of more than 2,000 Boskalis colleagues and hundreds of Royal IHC staff, the SEAWAY, a next-generation trailing suction hopper dredger, was launched at Royal IHC’s yard in Krimpen aan den IJssel, the Netherlands.
Prior to the launch, the vessel was officially christened by Mrs. Ande Berdowski, spouse of the Chairman of Boskalis’ Supervisory Board.
With an impressive length of 178 meters, a width of 38 meters, and a hopper capacity of 31,000 cubic meters—equivalent to more than 2,000 truckloads of sand — the SEAWAY is one of the largest dredgers of its kind in the world. Designed and built by Royal IHC for Boskalis, this state-of-the-art vessel is set to play a key role in making dredging operations more sustainable.
Built for the future
Prepared to operate on (green) methanol as an alternative fuel, the SEAWAY represents a major step forward in sustainable marine engineering. Equipped with a full diesel-electric installation, Azipods™ propulsion, an optimized hull design and advanced automation systems, the vessel is designed to set new standards in efficiency, maneuverability, and environmental performance when she enters service in mid-2026.
Innovation through collaboration
The SEAWAY is the result of close collaboration between Boskalis and Royal IHC — combining decades of dredging expertise with cutting-edge shipbuilding technology. Its unique design allows for a longer cargo hold, improving capacity while maintaining agility — a true engineering achievement for a vessel of this scale.
Ready for new horizons
In the coming months, the SEAWAY will undergo final outfitting and extensive testing before her first deployment overseas. Meanwhile, her future crew is already in training — including simulator sessions — to prepare for this groundbreaking new vessel.
