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Rendering of MEDIUM CLASS HOPPER DREDGE DONNELLY
Rendering of the Dredge DONNELLY on the Delaware River with Philadelphia pictured in the background. The 320-foot vessel is expected to be delivered to late 2027.
Steel Cutting for New Medium Class Hopper Dredge
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers joined contractors Eastern Shipbuilding Group and Royal IHC on April 4, 2025, in Panama City, FL for a steel cutting ceremony, kicking off construction of a Medium Class Hopper Dredge to replace the Dredge McFARLAND of the Army Corps’ Philadelphia District. The new dredge will then be floated in early 2027 to Eastern Shipbuilding Group’s shipyard in Port St. Joe, Fla., for final outfitting, testing, and sea trials.
Steel Cutting for New Medium Class Hopper Dredge
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers joined contractors Eastern Shipbuilding Group and Royal IHC on April 4, 2025, in Panama City, FL for a steel cutting ceremony, kicking off construction of a Medium Class Hopper Dredge to replace the Dredge McFARLAND of the Army Corps’ Philadelphia District. The ceremony took place in the Steel Processing Building at ESG’s Allanton Road Shipyard in Panama City. Allanton is where most of the Medium Class Hopper Dredge construction – steel fabrication, assembly, and vessel launch – is taking place.
Steel Cutting for New Medium Class Hopper Dredge
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers joined contractors Eastern Shipbuilding Group and Royal IHC on April 4, 2025, in Panama City, FL for a steel cutting ceremony, kicking off construction of a Medium Class Hopper Dredge to replace the Dredge McFARLAND of the Army Corps’ Philadelphia District. This marked the official start of construction on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ first new seagoing deep draft hopper dredge in more than 40 years.
Steel Cutting for New Medium Class Hopper Dredge
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers joined contractors Eastern Shipbuilding Group and Royal IHC on April 4, 2025, in Panama City, FL for a steel cutting ceremony, kicking off construction of a Medium Class Hopper Dredge to replace the Dredge McFARLAND of the Army Corps’ Philadelphia District. Participating in the event were the USACE Marine Design Center, which is managing the “3010 Medium Class Hopper Dredge” project; contractor (and event host) Eastern Shipbuilding Group; designer of record Royal IHC, Netherlands; plus representatives from USACE Headquarters, North Atlantic Division, and the Philadelphia District, where the new dredge will arrive in late 2027. It will replace the almost 60-year-old McFARLAND as the USACE Minimum Fleet East Coast Hopper Dredge. The state-of-the-art vessel will be 320’ long with a 72’ beam and a hopper capacity of 6,000 cubic yards.
Steel Cutting for New Medium Class Hopper Dredge
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers joined contractors Eastern Shipbuilding Group and Royal IHC on April 4, 2025, in Panama City, FL for a steel cutting ceremony, kicking off construction of a Medium Class Hopper Dredge to replace the Dredge McFARLAND of the Army Corps’ Philadelphia District. Speaking at the ceremony were (from left) Joey D’Isernia, CEO, Eastern Shipbuilding Group; Bert Jan ter Riet, COO, Royal IHC; John Primavera, Regional Business Director, USACE North Atlantic Division; and (not pictured) Stephen Hill, USACE Director of Operations.
Steel Cutting for New Medium Class Hopper Dredge
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers joined contractors Eastern Shipbuilding Group and Royal IHC on April 4, 2025, in Panama City, FL for a steel cutting ceremony, kicking off construction of a Medium Class Hopper Dredge to replace the Dredge McFARLAND of the Army Corps’ Philadelphia. The first cuts were made by a CNC Plasma Arc Burning Machine on an 8’ x 50’ x 5/8” sheet of ABS-14 raw steel plate from which templated pieces were then punched out individually.
Steel Cutting for New Medium Class Hopper Dredge
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers joined contractors Eastern Shipbuilding Group and Royal IHC on April 4, 2025, in Panama City, FL for a steel cutting ceremony, kicking off construction of a Medium Class Hopper Dredge to replace the Dredge McFARLAND of the Army Corps’ Philadelphia District. The first cuts were made by a CNC Plasma Arc Burning Machine on an 8’ x 50’ x 5/8” sheet of ABS-14 raw steel plate.
Steel Cutting for New Medium Class Hopper Dredge
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers joined contractors Eastern Shipbuilding Group and Royal IHC on April 4, 2025, in Panama City, FL for a steel cutting ceremony, kicking off construction of a Medium Class Hopper Dredge to replace the Dredge McFARLAND of the Army Corps’ Philadelphia District. After the ceremony, the team gathered for one big photo (from left) Captain Mike Hass, Master, Dredge McFarland, USACE Philadelphia District; Liju Raju-Kaneelil, Marine Design Center Project Manager, and Brendan McNichol, Chief, Dredge Programs Branch, Marine Design Center; Tijmen Malschaert, Head of Design & Estimation, Leo van Ingen, Sales Director, and Bert Jan ter Riet, COO, Royal IHC; Stephen Hill, Director of Operations, USACE; Krista Woodham, Project Coordinator, Eastern Shipbuilding Group; John Primavera, Regional Business Director, North Atlantic Division; Joey D’Isernia, CEO, Matt D’Isernia, Project Manager, and Jamie Keel, VP - Commercial Shipbuilding, Eastern Shipbuilding Group; Brian Murtaugh, Director, Marine Design Center; and Caleb Smith, Deputy Project Manager, Eastern Shipbuilding Group.
Ray Donnelly Portrait
The new medium class hopper dredge is being named in honor of Ray Donnelly who was a key leader in the USACE Resource Management community and served the U.S. Navy and USACE during his 44-year career.

Dredge Donnelly - Medium Class Hopper Dredge

In July 2023, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awarded Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. of Panama City, FL, a contract worth $256.9 million for the design and construction of a Medium Class Hopper Dredge to replace the Dredge McFARLAND of the Corps’ Philadelphia District. In April 2025, USACE joined contractors Eastern Shipbuilding Group and Royal IHC on April 4, 2025, in Panama City, FL for a steel cutting ceremony, kicking off construction. Since then, modular construction has been progressing steadily, with unit builds underway and fabrication and assembly of various key components. Work is being carried out in close coordination with the USACE Marine Design Center, Eastern Shipbuilding Group, and Royal IHC, the designer of record.

This highly automated, state-of-the-art vessel is undergoing construction at ESG's Allanton and Port St. Joe facilities and is scheduled for delivery in late 2027. In June 2025, USACE announced the new dredge will be named the Dredge DONNELLY after the late Ray Donnelly who retired as Chief of Resource Management for the USACE Philadelphia District in 2020.

The Dredge DONNELLY will play a critical role in enabling USACE to continue to deliver its navigation mission and provide for safe, reliable, effective, and environmentally sustainable waterborne transportation systems for vital national security, commerce, and recreation needs.  The new dredge is estimated to be placed into service in 2027 and replaces the McFARLAND, one of four oceangoing hopper dredges owned and operated by USACE. 

  • Length: 320’
  • Beam: 72’
  • Hull Depth: 28’
  • Draft (hopper empty): 11’3”
  • Draft (hopper full): 25’6”
  • Maximum Hopper Capacity: 6000 yd3
  • Maximum dredge depth with suction tube at 45 degrees: 65’

Animation of New Medium Class Hopper Dredge (Courtesy of Royal IHC)

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