Jan Paulsen, Boskalis Hirdes Managing Director, says that the two-year stint represents a very good utilization rate for Medway – about eight months a year.
“This gives us an almost continuous presence on a major German river, but it also allows us to shift gears in dredging downtime, enabling us to take on smaller, local works in case they present themselves,” Paulsen comments.
During 2023 and 2024, some 14 million cubic meters of river bottom are to be dredged along a 90-kilometer stretch of the Weser River. The dredged material will then be disposed of at various sites. Since this activity is partially dependent on the tide at each specific time, the Medway crew has to get their timing right, every time.
Paulsen is confident that the crew is more than up to the challenge – and in fact, looking forward to it. “That’s what makes the project fun,” he adds.
It goes without saying that Boskalis Hirdes is extremely proud to keep the shipping lane clear for the very active shipping traffic going to and from Bremerhaven. River maintenance is also one of the ‘go-to’ operations for the company. In fact, during recent years, Boskalis Hirdes has executed river maintenance contracts on a number of occasions. These operations have been performed either independently or as a joint venture.
Paulsen observes that during this period the company has built up a wealth of local know-how under the capable leadership of project leader Wolfgang Jarab. For continued success in this area, Boskalis Hirdes relies on “the always enthusiastic” crew of Medway.
“Cooperating with and responding to the client’s working methods is key to our successful collaboration here,” Paulsen sums up.
Contractual period: Maintenance Campaigns 2021-2022 & 2023-2024
Facing and overcoming challenges is what makes the project fun
Jan Paulsen, Managing Director, Boskalis Hirdes
