The launch ceremony for the 30,000m³ trailing suction hopper dredger CONGO RIVER took place on 21 January 2011 at the IHC Merwede shipyard in Krimpen aan den IJssel, The Netherlands. IHC Merwede is building the impressive ship for the DEME Group and the CONGO RIVER is one of the largest ships in the fleet.

The contract for the design, construction and delivery of the vessel was signed between DEME NV and IHC Dredgers BV in December 2008 and the keel was laid a year later on 15 December 2009. The vessel will be commissioned mid-2011. The name CONGO RIVER is in line with the tradition of DEME NV to name some of its large ships after the world’s great rivers.