Boskalis Presses On with Fleet Rationalization, Job Cuts

Boskalis Works Council of the Dutch dredging and maritime company Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. has unanimously rendered a positive advice on the companys fleet rationalization plan announced early July which will see 24 vessels be taken out of service in the coming two years, resulting in the loss of approximately 650 jobs worldwide. As part of the approved plan, Boskalis will continue to crew two of the five Fairmount vessels for the time being with Dutch employees. Boskalis said that the company has also reached an agreement in principle with the Works Council on a social plan by which the workforce reduction will be absorbed through attrition and redeployment where possible and affected employees will be able to make use of a social plan. The company plans to invite the trade unions involved to resume talks about the plans. Out of 24 vessels that will be taken out of service, ten are from the company’s dredging division and fourteen from the offshore energy division. These will include trailing suction hopper dredgers, cutter suction dredgers, anchor handling tugs and heavy transport vessels. The average age of the vessels earmarked for scrapping or sale is in excess of 30 years. Vessels offered for scrapping will be dismantled at certified shipyards in accordance with the Hong Kong Convention and Boskalis’ own standards, Boskalis said back in July.