UAE-based NMDC Group has held an inauguration ceremony in Nantong, China, for its new cutter suction dredger (CSD), Abu Al Bakhoush, a heavy-duty, self-propelled rock-cutting vessel built by Jiangsu Haixin Shipping Heavy Industry. The addition expands NMDC's fleet to more than 170 vessels and is intended to strengthen the company's ability to execute large and complex projects in international markets. Abu Al Bakhoush measures 148 metres in length and can dredge to a maximum depth of 38 metres. It is equipped with a 7.8 MW cutter and has total installed power of 30,040 kW, enabling rock cutting and precise excavation of trenches, navigation channels and harbours. Niels de Bruijn, CEO of NMDC Dredging & Marine, said the vessel combines high installed power with heavy-duty rock-cutting capability suited to demanding marine environments. NMDC ordered the dredger in January at a cost of AED618 million ($168.3 million), with the keel laid on 28 January 2026. The company has tied the acquisition to a growing project backlog across multiple jurisdictions, including a $610.1 million dredging and reclamation contract in Manila Bay, the Philippines, which marks NMDC's first project in that country. The new vessel underscores NMDC's push to expand its dredging and marine construction operations beyond its home market in the United Arab Emirates, as it continues to pursue large-scale infrastructure contracts internationally.