Posted on March 4, 2026
Yesterday, we proudly celebrated a major milestone in our collaboration with The Dutra Group and Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc.: the keel laying ceremony of the ADELE, a new Beagle® 10.2 Mk2 USA trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD). This event was made even more special by its Hawaiian theme, honouring Adele, the vessel’s namesake, and the mother of Bill Dutra (executive chairman of The Dutra Group), who was born and raised in Hawaii.
Bringing all partners together at ESG’s yard, the ceremony marked the official start of construction – and another exciting step in our joint mission to strengthen the U.S. dredging fleet with modern, efficient, and future ready vessels.
The ADELE, designed and engineered by Royal IHC, will feature:
- A hopper capacity of 8,000 m³ (10,464 yd3),
- Advanced mission equipment and automation,
- Increased loading and unloading capabilities, and
- A modular design ready for future upgrades.
The vessel will support critical U.S. dredging activities including maintenance and capital deepening, coastal restoration, storm recovery efforts, and beach nourishment.
In a meaningful gesture, Royal IHC provided the commemorative coin for the keel laying ceremony – a Hilo dollar, tying the event to Hawaii’s rich history and honouring Adele’s heritage. The Hilo dollar symbolises both tradition and the spirit of collaboration that defines this project.
