To call IHC Merwede a global manufacturer of dredges would be an understatement.
With decades of research and development behind them the Netherlands-based firm is a global presence in the manufacture of dredges. They are well known for their innovation and quality leadership in their market. Their dredges are to be seen working whereever there is a need to deepen water depths. The firm has over 3,000 employees worldwide including: The Netherlands, China, Croatia, France, Nigeria, Serbia, the Middle East, Indian, Singapore, South Africa, Slovakia, the UK and the United States.
The launch of one of the huge trailing suction hopper dredges always gains public attention. But it is the countless cutter suction dredges that keep the world’s waterways navigable over time. These ubiquitous floating dredges, often with a discharge pipe for sending sand and dredgate to shore-side storage, serve a primary role in harbour maintenance.
The IHC Beaver range of dredgers have been particularly successful in applications worldwide. Models range from those capable of dredging up to six meters to those that can work depths up to 29 meters. As with their design, the numbered name designations for the various Beaver dredgers is strait forward. For example, the dredge carrying the type designation Beaver 7522, has a delivery pipeline with a 750 mm diameter, The final two digits, 22, designate the depth in meters to which the dredge can work. Dredgers fitted with cutter heads have a “c” designation.
A number of the larger size Beaver dredgers, working depths of 18 to 25 meters, feature Cummins QSK60 main engines delivering 1641 kW @ 1860 RPM. Auxiliary generator power is provided by Cummins QSM11-D or Cummings KTA38 (D)M1 on the dredgers illustrated here. All dredgers illustrated here were designed and built in the Netherlands by IHC Beaver Dredgers. Additional information is provided in each photo caption below.