Purchase of dredging equipment

(07-11-2011)

Witteveen+Bos advises on the purchase of specific dredging equipment to deepen the channels involved in our clients coal transport network.

For the past three years Witteveen+Bos has been supporting a client in its mining operations in South Kalimantan. A system of channels, berthing facilities and stockpiles was developed to transport coal from the mine to the port of Banjarmasin for onward shipment. Further widening and deepening of the channels will be necessary to cope with the expected growth of output in the years ahead. With this in mind the client decided to purchase two small cutter suction dredgers (CSDs) and auxiliary equipment in the Netherlands. The first CSD has already been delivered on-site and has completed its trials successfully. The identical second CSD is ready for testing in the Netherlands at the De Hollandsche Yssel International shipyard, where it was built.

Witteveen+Bos is advising the client during the purchase process. We conducted a needs assessment on-site in Indonesia before preparing a dredging plan and writing specifications for the equipment. The specifications were thoroughly discussed with shipbuilders in the Netherlands ahead of the drafting and signing of the contract with Hollandsche Yssel. Witteveen+Bos supervised the building process and surveyed the work in progress. We also helped to select an experienced Dutch crew and acted as the linking-pin in agreeing arrangements to put the CSDs into service. The operators will start training Indonesian staff once the dredgers are fully operational so as to transfer knowledge and assure proficient management and maintenance.