Posted on March 25, 2026
Boskalis recently mobilized a second trailing suction hopper dredger for the coastal protection project in Avlékété, Benin. Our trailing suction hopper dredger Causeway has been dredging along the West African coast since November last year, and our Shoreway recently joined it. Together, the vessels dredged more than 3.5 million cubic meters of sand to make the “Beninese dream” come true. Benin’s President Patrice Talon and Minister José Tonato of Urban Development and Transport visited the project site this week to celebrate the successful completion of the work.
The project has two objectives: protecting and reinforcing the vulnerable coastline against erosion and creating safe conditions for hosting future tourists in Benin. The vessels have therefore constructed a sand motor on the west and east sides of the existing breakwater, which runs parallel to the coast for a length of 5 kilometers. This is a concept, co-developed by Boskalis, whereby the sand will spread naturally along the coast in the coming years. In addition, to enhance the wave dissipation by the breakwater, a sand-berm was created in front and behind the breakwater through so-called rainbowing by our dredgers.
We would like to thank the crews of the Causeway and the Shoreway, as well as the project team, for their work in Benin.
