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Environmental Impact
CSR 2016 – Boskalis
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Climate change and the consequences thereof, such as rising sea
levels, are increasingly important topics for our sector and for
society. With much of the country below sea level, the Netherlands
has had to battle to fend off the ravages of the sea for centuries.
The Dutch expertise and skills in the field of delta technology and
hydraulic engineering are highly rated throughout the world.
Boskalis’ core business enables it to provide innovative adaptive
and mitigating solutions to combat the impact of climate change.
Through our coastal defense and riverbank protection activities we
are able to help countries to adapt to the consequences of climate
change. Boskalis specializes in designing, realizing and
maintaining sea defenses and beach replenishments. We widen
rivers and channels and create floodplains to contain the water or
facilitate drainage. Our Building with Nature approach plays an
important part in the realization of these projects. In doing so,
we also apply the basic principles of the circular economy by
substituting materials such as concrete, basalt and rock with
natural, renewable materials such as sand and mangroves.
Our offshore wind farm activities contribute towards greater
availability of renewable energy. We have made our mark with
successful projects and, as one of the top players in this market,
we keep expanding our role by providing a broader range of
services for increasingly complex projects. We provide our services
for the transportation, installation and scour protection of substations,
turbines and turbine foundations as well as handling the supply
and installation of cables. In addition, we offer a growing number
of construction, procurement and engineering services, in which
logistics and risk management play an increasingly important role.
We take our responsibility in relation to climate change by
looking into innovative and established ways of saving energy
and reducing the emissions produced by our equipment.
Our Taskforce Energy Management keeps a close eye on
developments in national and international legislation and
regulations on emissions. Chaired by a member of the Board
of Management, the Taskforce includes specialists and
professionals from the key divisions. The Taskforce has a
steering role, pools knowledge and best practices, and
promotes awareness within the organization. For more
information on CO
2
emissions and energy-saving measures
we refer to
pages 36-39.Flood protection
In 2016 we executed and were awarded the following projects
to protect large parts of the Netherlands from flooding:
Reinforcement of the Wadden Sea dike on the island of Texel
over a distance of fourteen kilometers as well as raising and
widening the Wadden Sea dike between Eemshaven and
Delfzijl over a distance of twelve kilometers.
Execution of various
Room for the River projects including
landscaping and improving nature.
Reinforcement of the 33-kilometer long Markermeer dike in
the Dutch province of North Holland.
At the end of 2016 the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and the
Environment announced the contract award for the reinforcement
of the 25-kilometer long Houtrib dike to Boskalis. Execution will
start in 2017. The Houtrib dike is located between Enkhuizen
and Lelystad.
Climate change
Construction of the Wikinger
offshore wind farm.
