Construction and maintenance of ports

Project highlights

Creating Gorgon

In 2009, Boskalis was awarded a contract on the Chevron-operated Gorgon Project, one of the largest and most complex contracts to be undertaken in our history. Our scope of work included the design and construction of some of the port facilities at Barrow Island.

Duqm port construction

This extraordinary EPC project we dredged a new harbor basin and entrance channel with a depth of 18 meters, constructed a kilometer-long quay wall, two 400 meter-long jetties and reclaimed land for a port platform including ground improvement and associated 4 km shore protection.

Co-creation in Brazil

From 2011-15, Boskalis was involved in the construction of one of Latin America’s largest port-industry complexes in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Boskalis dredged two huge access channels, a turning basin, an inner channel, mooring berths and constructed revetments for the breakwater and over 13 km of access roads.

Dredging techniques

Trailing suction hopper dredger

Trailing suction hopper dredgers can fill their own holds (hoppers) by sucking material from the seabed using a trailing suction head fitted to pipes that trail over the bed as the ship sails.

Cutter section dredger

Dredging with a cutter suction dredger takes place while the vessel is moored with spuds or anchors and consists of powerful cutting action combined with suction.

Backhoe dredger

A backhoe dredger (BHD) is a hydraulic excavator installed on a pontoon. Dredging is executed by the excavator which is mounted on a turntable at the front of the pontoon. The backhoe dredger is mainly used for dredging in shallow or confined waters.

Port expansion LNG terminal, Cuyutlán

The Mexican Ministry of Communications and Transport awarded Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. two contracts for dredging an access channel and turning basin at the Cuyutlán liquefied natural gas import terminal on the west coast of Mexico.

Design and construction harbor channel, Sydney harbor

The 'Sydney Harbor Channel Dredging Project' in Nova Scotia, Canada, involved dredging and reclamation work as part of the construction of the new Sydney Port container terminal located on the northeast coast of Canada. Once operational, Sydney Port will be the most northerly deepwater container terminal on the North American east coast.

Port construction,
Khalifa port

The Khalifa Port and Industrial Zone (KPIZ), one of the world’s largest greenfield development projects, is part of Abu Dhabi’s major diversification plan to develop various sectors such as property, tourism, infrastructure and others. Abu Dhabi’s main existing port, Mina Zayed, is hemmed in by Abu Dhabi city, limiting its accessibility and the possibility for expansion.

Maintenance dredging, Berbice River

One of Guyana’s major export products is bauxite, which originates from the Aroaima, Kwakwani and Ituni regions around the Demerara and Berbice rivers in north-eastern Guyana. Guyana annually exports approximately 2.2 million tons of bauxite from it’s mines along the Berbice River. Boskalis International has long been associated with the mining industry in Guyana. In 1990 a long-term overburden removal project for the Aroaima mine was begun in Guyana involving the dredging and disposal of a sand and clay layer of 30-45 meters thickness.

Port reconfiguration, Felixstowe

Capital dredging and filling works for new quay development (previously known as Landguard Redevelopment). Phase 1 of the reconfiguration programme consists of: 730 m new deep water quay and 200,000 m2 container handling area achieved by installing new quay in front of old Landguard port structures and redevelopment of the old Landguard terminal.

Port access channel dredging, Walvis Bay

The port of Walvis Bay is a naturally sheltered deepwater harbor on the west coast of Africa. The port is part of a transit route linking Southern Africa, Europe and the Americas and it is Namibia’s largest commercial port, handling around 5 million tons of cargo each year. The container terminal can accommodate a throughput of about 250,000 containers per year.