Boskalis orders megahopper replacement

Following on from the recent report about the collision involving the hopper ?W.D. Fairway? in China, Boskalis CEO Peter Berdowski announced that current information indicates that there is a constructive total loss. Given this, Boskalis has decided to build a new megahopper with a capacity of 40,000 m³.

The company has signed a Letter of Intent to that effect with the shipyard IHC Holland for delivery in the spring of 2011. A constructive total loss of the ?W.D. Fairway? means that Boskalis will receive insurance payments amounting to a total of more than ? 165 million.

On top of this Boskalis announced it has also signed a Letter of Intent with the shipyard IHC Holland for the construction of two large hoppers with a capacity of 12,000 m³. These newbuildings will be completed in 2009 and 2011 respectively and are part of the new building program announced previously, providing new capacity in response to increasing market demand.