The latest news about the amphibious dredger
China has made significant beakthroughs in amphibious dredger,amphibious dredigng ship and large-scale dredging equipment in recent years, not only promoting the development of domestic ports, river management, and land reclamation projects, but also demonstrating strong technological competitiveness in the international market. The following is a summary of the latest information on the technological progress and industry trends of amphibious dredgers and related high-end dredging equipment both domestically and internationally:
I. Technological Progress of Amphibious Dredger/Amphibious dredging ship/China amphibious dredger in China
1. The Rise of Modular, Multifunctional Amphibious Platforms
The modular amphibious platform developed by Qingzhou Yongli Mining And Dredging Machinery Co., Ltd. has the ability to operate flexibly in complex terrains such as tidal flats, swamps, and shallow water areas. This equipment supports rapid replacement of various working devices, such as buckets, sludge pumps, and dredging rakes, and is suitable for ecological dredging, river regulation, and wetland restoration projects.
Its advantages include:
Self-propelled on land, capable of loading and unloading transport vehicles independently.
Low noise and leak-proof design, meeting environmental protection requirements.
Modular production, with a delivery cycle as short as 45 days.
2. SINOSAIL ZHAD-600 Multi-functional Amphibious Dredger/amphibious dredging ship/china amphibious dredger
Launched in 2025, the SINOSAIL ZHAD-600 amphibious dredger has the following specifications:
Dredging depth: 7 meters
Discharge distance: 100 meters
Flow rate: 600 m³/h
Made of carbon steel, corrosion-resistant and wear-resistant
Suitable for dredging and filling projects in ports, rivers, lakes, reservoirs, etc.
This equipment has been exported to many Central Asian countries and is suitable for small to medium-sized dredging projects, offering high cost-effectiveness.
3. Qingzhou Yongli Shipyard's New Amphibious Multipurpose Dredger Completes Testing
Qingzhou Yongli Shipyard's new amphibious dredger has completed final pre-delivery testing and possesses the following features:
Flow rate: 800 m³/h
Dredging depth: 6.5 meters
Dumping distance: 1500 meters
Equipped with lateral tracked pontoons and a central floating body, it can move freely on land, in shallow water, and in soft mud.
Supports various tasks such as environmental dredging, reservoir maintenance, and wetland restoration.
This vessel emphasizes high maneuverability and stability, making it suitable for operations in wetlands and marginal waters worldwide.
II. Breakthroughs in China's Large-Scale Dredging Equipment (Indirectly Supporting the Development of Amphibious Technology)
Although strictly speaking, most "amphibious" vessels are small to medium-sized, China's technological accumulation in ultra-large trailing suction hopper and cutter suction dredgers is both positively and negatively empowering the intelligentization and power system upgrades of amphibious equipment.
1. "Tongjun" Vessel: Asia's Largest Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger
Maximum hopper capacity of 38,168 cubic meters, ranking first in Asia and second in the world
Maximum dredging depth of 120 meters, suitable for deep-sea sand extraction, channel dredging, and land reclamation
Equipped with an intelligent dredging system, achieving full-condition coverage
Successfully fills the technological gap in my country's 35,000 cubic meter and above trailing suction hopper dredgers
2. 35,000 Cubic Meter Giant Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger Expected to be Delivered in 2026
Designed by China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation's 708 Research Institute and built by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries, this vessel will become one of Asia's largest trailing suction hopper dredgers:
Overall length 195 meters, beam 38.5 meters, depth 18.0 meters
Maximum dredging depth 120 meters, adopting a "one-to-two" composite drive
Equipped with dual trailing suction hoppers and dual underwater pumps, possessing bow blasting and jet venting functions
Reserved for methanol fuel use, green and low-carbon
This project marks China's comprehensive leadership in the independent design and construction of large-scale dredging equipment. 3. "New Sturgeon": World's Largest Dual-Fuel Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger
The world's first large trailing suction hopper dredger powered by LNG dual fuel
With a domestic production rate exceeding 90%, key equipment such as the main engine and gas supply system have achieved domestic substitution
Equipped with "one-click dredging" and "dredging and driving in one" intelligent systems, improving operational accuracy and efficiency
III. Development Dynamics of Amphibious Dredgers Abroad
1. DRAGFLOW Launches New Amphibious Dredger (Italy)
DRAGFLOW's DRM85/160E22 amphibious dredger has been sold to a Chilean mining company for a tailings pond reprocessing project:
Can operate in water depths less than 0.5 meters
Equipped with two tracked pontoons and a central float, enabling both land travel and water surface floating
Capable of stable operation in mud, soft soil, shallow water, and swamps
Extreme maneuverability allows it to reach remote areas inaccessible by traditional equipment
This model demonstrates Europe's advantages in flexibility and engineering adaptability in specialized dredging equipment.
IV. Policy and Export Regulation Updates
China implements strict export controls on large dredgers to safeguard maritime rights and technological security:
Since 2017, the Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs have explicitly prohibited the export of large dredgers.
New regulations will take effect on February 1, 2026, requiring exported dredgers to declare their category and technical parameters in detail, and specify whether they are controlled items.
Although small and medium-sized amphibious equipment can be exported, vessels involving core technologies such as deep dredging, large hull capacity, and intelligent control remain restricted.
Under this policy background, Chinese companies are focusing more on improving their domestic engineering service capabilities and global EPC project contracting capabilities.