Keppel Offshore and Marine (Keppel O&M) has delivered the world’s first European Union (EU) Stage V dredger to Luxembourg-based Jan De Nul Group.

Named Afonso de Albuquerque, the ultra-low emission trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) was delivered by Keppel O&M through its wholly owned subsidiary Keppel Singmarine.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

The diesel-electrical powered dredger is equipped with an exhaust gas filter system and was built by Keppel at its shipyard in Nantong, China, to the requirements of classification society Bureau Veritas.

Keppel O&M plans to deliver the second and third dredgers for Jan De Nul later this quarter.

Designed with a shallow draught and high manoeuvrability, the TSHD is capable of dredging to a maximum depth of 27.6m and has a hopper capacity of 3,500m³.

It has been built to work in confined areas and will be used for dredging loose and soft soils such as sand, gravel, silt or clay.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

With the help of bottom doors, the dredged material can be deposited on the seabed or discharged through a floating pipeline to shore and used for land reclamation.

“The Keppel team has demonstrated the capability to provide value-added engineering solutions and excellent execution.”

Jan De Nul Group Newbuilding Department director Robby De Backer said: “The Keppel team has demonstrated the capability to provide value-added engineering solutions and excellent execution, which is why we ordered five dredgers from them.”

Keppel Singmarine secured contracts in May 2017 from Jan De Nul’s subsidiary Codralux to build two TSHDs valued at around S$120m ($88.59m).

At that time, Keppel said it was building three dredgers for Jan De Nul, based on contracts secured in July 2016.

Keppel is also building six dredgers of various hopper capacities ranging from 3,500m³ to 10,500m³.

Ship Technology Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Ship Technology Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
From automated chartering invoices to EU ETS and CII management, Ankeri Solutions’ maritime SaaS platform has earned three Ship Technology Excellence Awards for 2025. See how Ankeri is helping shipowners and charterers boost efficiency, cut emissions, and collaborate better across complex global fleets.

Discover the Impact