Menu TRAILING SUCTION HOPPER DREDGERS The trailing suction hopper dredgers (TSHDs) of Boskalis are oceangoing vessels that can collect sand and silt from the seabed and transport it over large distances. Boskalis deploys trailing suction hoppers dredgers for the construction and maintenance of ports and waterways as well as land reclamation and coastal defense and riverbank protection. Trailing suction hopper dredgers are equipped with one or two suction pipes ending in drag heads. The drag head moves slowly over the bed collecting the sand like a giant vacuum cleaner. The mixture of sand and water is pumped into the hopper of the dredging vessel. Excess water flows out through so-called overflows. Dredging stops when the maximum hopper capacity is reached. The vessel can discharge its load in various ways, depending on the project specifications. One method used is rainbowing. Rainbowing is used when the vessel can get close to the discharge location and the previously reclaimed sand body is above or almost above the surface. The sand is sprayed through a nozzle in the bow rainbowing in an arch through the air. Another discharge method consists of pumping the sand ashore by floating or sunken pipelines. This approach is used for example in land reclamation or coastal protection projects. The sand is pumped through floating pipelines into the reclamation area. The sand can also be deposited through doors located in the bottom of the vessel. Boskalis has around 30 trailing suction hopper dredgers, including two of the world’s largest, the Queen of the Netherlands and the Fairway. Clip: trailing suction hopper dredger Play video Browse our fleet Also of interest Previous Press release Boskalis receives LOI for EUR 480 million port development project in Oman Papendrecht, 15 January 2017 Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. (Boskalis) has received a Lett... Press release Boskalis awarded EUR 120 million dredging contract for oil terminal expansion in Br... Papendrecht, 25 November 2016 Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. (Boskalis) has been... Next 1 2 View more related articles Share this Facebook Twitter Linkedin Google+ E-mail Print Back to top Quick links Vacancies Contact us Company profile Activities Share charts Download center Boskalis shop - merchandise NINA safety program Stay up to date Press and news releases Magazine: Creating New Horizons RSS Subscribe to updates Vimeo Youtube Linkedin Facebook Twitter Visit our other websites Dockwise Fairmount Marine VBMS SMIT Boskalis Australia Boskalis Dragamex Boskalis Environmental Boskalis Hirdes Boskalis Nederland Boskalis Rock Fall Boskalis Russia Boskalis Sweden Boskalis Terramare Boskalis Westminster Nigerian Westminster Dredging Irish Dredging Llanelli Sand Cofra Keppel Smit Towage KOTUG SMIT Towage Saam Smit Towage Smit Lamnalco BACK TO TOP 2017 © Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. Cookie policy Disclaimer Terms and conditions of purchase Sitemap