Amsterdam-based DutchWorkboats is looking to expand its offering and is investing heavily over the next six months in a “new generation RIB”.
For this, Rob Voskuil, director, DutchWorkboats, told Maritime Journal, it will be working more with a different building material with “alternative properties”, HDPE.
While this material isn’t new to the industry or DutchWorkboats, the company is looking to make larger vessels using HDPE. “Aluminium is quite well known and well spread and we are aiming to specialise and expand our offering. We believe our users could benefit greatly,” said Mr Voskuil.
HDPE, or high-density polyethylene, is solid and robust. Well known for its high resistance to impact and corrosion-resistant properties, according to the Mr Voskuil it also eliminates the need for antifouling paint on the hull, since marine growth cannot adhere to it. HDPE hulls therefore require minimum maintenance and can be easily repaired or adapted by relatively unskilled staff.
DutchWorkboats says the new material will mean it can offer its main client group – dredger and marine engineering companies – “even more effective vessels”.
For now, it told MJ it will focus on developing more and larger crew and support vessels, starting with its crew tender 9m RIB, specially designed for operations in tough inshore and coastal environments.
Elsewhere, the company is set to deliver a 7.85m fast survey vessel with built-in and fully calibrated survey equipment, single- and multi-beam, supplied by DutchWorkboats’ partner Stema Systems, to dredging company
“Trials were carried out this week, and went great. We recorded 22 knots, which is quite high. Those speeds are the specific qualities of this boat – it’s meant to do high speed surveying instead of slow speed to save time and money for the company,” Mr Voskuil explained. Delivery is scheduled for next week.
The company has also seen a great deal of interest in similar vessels from dredgers and marine engineers in Europe, the Middle East and Far East.
By Rachael Doyle
