Introduction by Boskalis CEO Peter Berdowski
Dear reader,
Since the publication of the last edition of our magazine, the world has been in the grip of the pandemic. During the past year, Boskalis with its global spread of projects has been strongly affected by the limitations imposed by corona, and yet we have also been very successful in numerous areas.
One of the highlights that put us front and center on the world media stage was the salvage of the Ever Given. The container vessel was blocking all the traffic in the Suez Canal, with potentially major consequences for the global economy. That final week in March proved to be intense. A large number of colleagues, working with the Suez Canal Authority, pulled off a fantastic job, refloating the Ever Given during a spring tide after days of tension. Boskalis was also involved in many other major projects and innovative developments in the context of a sustainable future. For example, we transported and installed the world’s largest floating wind farm offshore Scotland contributing to the transition into a carbon free economy. As a part of our focus on biodiversity we expanded our artificial reef program and are currently testing different types of modular reefs in Panama and Kenya. As well as delivering ecological added value in coastal areas, these reefs can also be integrated in innovative coastal defenses.
Sharing and celebrating successes goes hand in hand with keeping colleagues engaged. And staying in touch with colleagues due to corona imposed limitations has been a key priority over the last 21 months. To this end, we produced our own worldwide connected radio program, bringing colleagues and family members together. It allowed everyone at Boskalis to come into remote contact with each other. That boosted our sense of community, not least because we also used the radio show to support Save the Children. The whole company was very enthusiastic about the broadcast, which ended with the presentation of a cheque to Pim Kraan, the director of Save the Children Netherlands, to support the important work of his organization. In an interview in this issue, he explains how Save the Children helps children worldwide in emergencies caused by natural disasters, political conflict or poverty.
The safety of our people and subcontractors is at the heart of all our projects. It has now been more than a decade since we developed and introduced our No Injuries No Accidents (NINA) safety program. In this issue, colleagues who were there at the launch of NINA explain how the successful program was established and how it has now become an indispensable component of our company culture.
I hope you enjoy reading this issue. Let’s create new horizons together.
Stay safe and healthy!
Peter Berdowski
CEO Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V.
