The Borssele Alpha project is being executed on behalf of TenneT and is aimed at connecting the Borssele offshore grid with the Dutch high-voltage grid.
During this project Boskalis will run its vessels on a biofuel blend of up to 30 per cent.
As of last week the large trailing suction hopper dredger Prins der Nederlanden is powered by a biofuel blend resulting in a substantial CO2 reduction.
Using biofuel is one aspect of the 'Boskalis on Bio' program, for which the company recently signed a long-term partnership with biofuel supplier GoodFuels.
Source: Royal Boskalis Westminster, 25 September 2018
The program is aimed at achieving a 35% reduction in the CO2 emitted by the Boskalis fleet and equipment in the Netherlands in the next five years.
Various sea trials conducted by Boskalis have shown that sustainable biofuels lead to an impressive reduction in CO2 emissions of up to 90% compared to fossil fuels, and are also much more effective than alternatives such as liquefied natural gas (LNG).
On the Marker Wadden project Boskalis performed dredging work for six months using a B50 biofuel blend, consisting of 50% residual products from the paper industry which also resulted in a huge reduction in CO2.
Boskalis now uses this fuel to power not just its vessels but also its dry earthmoving equipment and trucks in the Netherlands.