Shipbuilder Seatrium AmFELS, Brownsville, Texas, has delivered the Frederick Paup, the largest self-propelled trailing suction hopper dredge built in the United States, to Manson Construction Co., Seattle.
Designed by Manson in partnership with Hockema Group Inc., Seattle, the Frederick Paup measures 420'x81' with a 28'6" draft and hopper capacity of more than 15,0250 cu. yds.
The vessel boasts approximately 25,000 hp, powered by three Tier 4 Wabtec 16V250MDC diesel-electric main engines and two 12V250MDC gensets, also from Wabtec. It is propelled by triple Schottel RudderPropellers type 510 L FP azimuthing stern drives and twin Brunvoll bowthrusters.
The ABS-classed dredge features dynamic positioning, integrated dredging systems, and power management systems. It is equipped a suite of Furuno electronics, including radar, FE-800 depth sounders, FA-170 AIS, GP-170 GPS, and Inmarsat-C Mobile Earth Station FELCOM18 GMDSS, as well as Simrad AP70 MK2 autopilot control.
The Jones Act–compliant newbuild surpasses Manson’s 13,500-cu.-yd. Glenn Edwards — built by Alabama Shipyard, Mobile, Ala., in 2006 — as the largest self-propelled hopper dredge ever constructed in the U.S. The hopper dredge Ellis Island, built in 2017 by Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc., Panama City, Fla., for Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corp., Houston, also has 15,000-cu.-yd. capacity, but it is not self-propelled. It is paired with the tug Douglas B. Mackie and operated as an articulated tug barge.
Ordered in 2020, the Frederick Paup was originally scheduled for delivery in 2023, but the shipbuilding project faced significant delays. The delivery marks Seatrium’s last from the Brownsville shipyard, which was sold to Karpowership, Istanbul, in September 2025.
“Over the last five-plus years, we have had an outstanding group of Manson people and key business partners working together to make this dredge a reality,” Manson CEO and President Jim McNally said in a statement. “I am very proud of those people and this dredge.”
“This dredge is the culmination of years of work by our dedicated team, and I am honored to bear its name,” said Manson Chairman of the Board Frederick Paup, the dredge’s namesake. “We are proud that it is U.S.-built, U.S.-flagged, and U.S.-crewed, and that it will support the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ mission of keeping the marine transportation highway open throughout the United States.”
The new dredge will support U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects such as navigation channel maintenance, beach nourishment, and coastal restoration.
Its first assignment will be near Mobile, Ala., where it will conduct maintenance dredging to ensure access for deep-draft vessels.
