Boskalis takes delivery of largest bio-fuel consignment to date
Boskalis has taken delivery of its largest-ever consignment of drop-in biofuel which will be used to power two hopper dredgers on upcoming projects in northwestern Europe. The use of bio-fuel will result in a CO2 reduction of approximately 90% for the 12,000 m3 hopper dredger Willem van Oranje and approximately 45% for the 4,500 m3 hopper dredger Strandway, according to the company's release.
The delivery of approximately 1,000 m3 of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), a sustainable bio-fuel derived from used cooking oil, was in collaboration with Boskalis’ long-term partner and fuel supplier, GoodFuels.
Boskalis’ own testing program with GoodFuels and engine manufacturer Wärtsilä that began in 2015 has demonstrated that drop-in marine biofuels can reduce the CO2 emissions by up to 90% compared to fossil fuels. In 2019, as part of the ‘Boskalis on Bio’ program, the Willem van Oranje became the world’s first dredging vessel to operate on 100% biofuel oil. Since then, Boskalis has successfully used various biofuel blends as an alternative to fossil fuels on both dredging and offshore installation vessels, as well as for dry earthmoving equipment, resulting in a considerable emissions reductions.
Through its agreement with GoodFuels, Boskalis enables its clients to opt for biofuel-powered vessels to reduce their carbon emissions on projects. Last year 80% of Boskalis’ project tenders in The Netherlands included sustainability measures, including options to use biofuels.
Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. is a leading global services provider operating in the dredging, maritime infrastructure and maritime services sectors. The company provides creative and innovative all-round solutions to infrastructural challenges in the maritime, coastal and delta regions of the world. With core activities such as coastal defense, riverbank protection and land reclamation Boskalis is able to provide adaptive and mitigating solutions to combat the effects of climate change, such as extreme weather conditions and rising sea levels, as well as delivering solutions for the increasing need for space in coastal and delta regions across the world.
The company facilitates the development of offshore energy infrastructure, including renewable wind energy. Boskalis is furthermore active in the construction and maintenance of ports, waterways, access channels and civil infrastructure, thus helping to facilitate trade flows and regional socio-economic development. In addition, Boskalis is a global marine salvage expert and has a number of strategic partnerships in harbor towage and terminal services (Keppel Smit Towage and Smit Lamnalco).
