In a method of loading the hold of a suction dredger vessel, in which a sension of sand and water is pumped into the hold during loading which is carried out in a first stage and a subsequent second stage for avoiding that a siphon effect is not possible and that the last quantity of water cannot be replaced by a sand-water mixture, the effluent means are kept, after the suspension level in the hold has reached the external water level, under the action of a suction pump for lowering the suspension level to below the external water level.