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REPORT OF THE BOARD OF MANAGEMENT
ANNUAL REPORT 2016 – BOSKALIS
46
divisions. The two main subjects of the program are: personal
leadership and project management.
FLEET DEVELOPMENTS
Boskalis makes targeted investments in the newbuild and
renovation of vessels that are important to retaining or expanding
its strong market position. At the same time obsolete vessels or
those with limited prospects are taken out of service. As a result of
the fleet rationalization program launched in mid-2016, that will
be implemented over the course of two years, 24 vessels will be
dismantled, sold or laid-up. The average age of the vessels
earmarked for dismantling or sale is in excess of 30 years.
In 2016 the following developments took place:
Dredging
In the first half of 2016 the world’s biggest backhoe dredger
Magnor was taken into service. With a total capacity of
4,100 kW the Magnor’s bucket is capable of lifting up to
67,000 kilograms of dredged material.
The newbuild water injection dredger Terra Plana joined the
fleet in April 2016. The vessel is being deployed on projects
such as port maintenance work.
The new mega cutter Helios will be taken into service in 2017.
With a total installed capacity of 23,700 kW and a pumping
capacity of 15,600 kW, the Helios will be deployed on the
Duqm port development project in Oman.
2016 saw the environmentally responsible dismantling of the
2,500 m
3
trailing suction hopper dredger Coronaut, 3,500 m
3
trailing suction hopper dredger Beachway and cutter suction
dredger Jokra. The cutter suction dredger Orion was sold.
Offshore
In 2016 the decision was taken to convert the Dockwise heavy
transport vessel Finesse into a new transport and installation
crane vessel. The vessel will be equipped with a rotating mast
crane with a capacity of 3,000 tons, dynamic positioning (DP2)
and accommodation for up to 150 people. The commissioning
of the vessel is expected in late 2017. For more information
please refer
to pages 28 and 29.
The conversion of the 21,000 ton oceangoing barge Giant 7
into a 600 ton crane vessel with accommodation for around
80 people was concluded early 2016. The Giant 7 was
deployed on the Wikinger Offshore Windfarm project.
Like its sister vessel Ndurance the multifunctional Ndeavor was
fitted out as a fully-fledged cable-laying vessel in 2016 and
deployed on projects contracted by Boskalis subsidiary VBMS.
In early 2017 the offshore support vessel Smit Orca, the floating
sheerleg crane Taklift 6 and the heavy transport vessel Tern were
taken out of service to be dismantled. The heavy transport vessel
Super Servant 3 was sold.
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
INNOVATION
Boskalis will continue to innovate and look for more efficient
working methods. Innovation is an important way for us to
continue to set ourselves apart. In the past year we worked on
many innovations in various areas and applied for patents for no
fewer than twelve innovations. A number of the patents relate to
the development of methods for smarter dredging and more
efficient maintenance. Examples include combining vessel
operating data with maintenance databases, and using the results
to fine-tune our maintenance programs and optimize equipment
availability. A pilot project conducted with IHC and Wärtsilä is
showing promising results with regard to reducing the cost of
maintaining our vessels and optimizing the performance,
availability and safety of the fleet. Another innovation in the field
of dredging concerns monitoring the wear and tear on our
pipelines, which will make our planning schedules and operations
more reliable.
LNG DUAL-FUEL HARBOR TUGS
With a large global fleet, Boskalis is constantly on the lookout for
ways to reduce dependence on oil and reduce emissions. Boskalis
contributes towards environmentally-friendly solutions for emissions
with innovations in equipment, working methods, energy saving
and fuels. Our extensive R&D program enables us to anticipate
changes in national and international legislation and creates the
right conditions for rapid implementation. In 2016 Boskalis joint
ventures Keppel Smit Towage and Maju Maritime ordered two
innovative LNG dual-fuel harbor tugs. This marks a breakthrough in
realizing clean, environmentally-friendly harbor towage services in
the port of Singapore as the tugs will run entirely on LNG. In light of
this, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore awarded a grant
under its LNG Bunkering Pilot Programme. The 65 ton bollard pull
ASD tugs will be built by Keppel Singmarine in Singapore
according to the shipyard’s proprietary design and are expected to
be delivered in 2018.
INNOVATION ACCELERATOR
One initiative developed further in 2016 was Boskalis’ participation
in the Port Innovation Accelerator (PortXL). Boskalis is taking part in
this initiative together with the Port of Rotterdam Authority, various
internationally operating companies and the Erasmus University
Centre for Entrepreneurship. The basic principle is to be in contact
with young, dynamic companies and to streamline the ideas of
start-ups looking for effective ways of bringing breakthrough
technologies to the market. One innovation to emerge from this
initiative is the incorporation of Virtual Reality (VR) into our design
processes. An example of this is the design of the layout of the
bridge of the mega cutter Helios. Thanks to VR technology the
bridge could be designed in complete accordance with the wishes
of the crew. The result is a tailor-made solution that contributes to
the vessel’s workability. Following on from this we are now also
working with a start-up on examining the possibilities of using VR
technology to develop training material.
CONTRIBUTING TO THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY
In 2015 we teamed up with HVC, the largest non-commercial waste
collection company in the Netherlands, to build the first large-scale
soil-washing plant in the world for washing incinerator bottom ash,
the residue left after the incineration of domestic waste in Waste-to-
Energy plants. Over the past few years, successful pilots have
allowed us to demonstrate that clean bottom ash can be used as