ABB signs exclusive three-year maintenance contract with Van Oord, a leading worldwide contractor for dredging, marine engineering and offshore projects (oil, gas and wind).

For Van Oord, this means best-in-class service at all times and in every location, lower failure rates and fewer repairs – which are also carried out more quickly and efficiently. As a result, substantial cost savings are expected to be realised.  Exclusive partnership agreement for global maintenance of turbochargers Rotterdam for period 2014-2016.

“The crucial benefit of this agreement is that it enables greater efficiency with regard to maintenance. The aim is to enhance the technical performance of our engines and optimise overhaul processes, which together will result in lower energy consumption and a cut in emissions. The reduction of CO2 and SOx is of vital importance, and Van Oord is committed to delivering a valuable contribution to that goal. The agreement reflects the new Van Oord strategy in which we want to be sustainable and an economical fleet manager,” says Jaap de Jong, Director, Ship Management at Van Oord.

“Under this contract, we will service 140 turbochargers during a three-year period,” says Rolf Bosma, General Manager ABB Turbocharging Benelux. “Van Oord had  been looking for a maintenance partner for ships’ engine turbochargers for some time. We have clustered a number of services into a ‘value added’ package. For each individual location and vessel, we create tailor-made planning, and Van Oord can precisely manage its budgets around this.”

Low CO2 emissions

The main focus of the agreement is to ensure Van Oord’s fleet is available to the highest possible degree, with minimal downtime and low CO2 emissions. This is achieved by  efficient maintenance and, wherever possible, continuous improvement in the technical performance of turbochargers. Within the dredging industry, hardware is generally under considerable strain and downtime is very costly. As a ‘turbo’ is responsible for some 70% of an engine’s total power, optimal and enduring performance is vital. Specific knowledge & global network.

“Van Oord has selected ABB partly because we are an OEM for turbochargers, but mainly because we have a high level of specific knowledge of all components and systems and can deliver all original parts immediately from stock,” continues Rolf Bosma. “Furthermore, we have extensive experience in the dredging industry.”

“Through the ABB Turbocharging service network, over a hundred service stations all over the world can take immediate action at any time. This means Van Oord can always rely on on-site support anywhere in the world, as well as central support and co-ordination from Rotterdam. This allows us to keep a close eye on trends, planning and budgets. We can perform maintenance without having to shut down installations for long periods, and wecan also very rapidly provide a solution on the spot in case of emergency,” concludes Bosma.

The contract is in line with Van Oord’s strategy to manage overall costs of maintenance, fuel and asset management with the greatest possible efficiency. It is effectively an extension of good experiences during previous collaborations. ABB and Van Oord have worked together on various projects together in the past, such as the Princess Amalia Offshore Windfarm at IJmuiden. In the future, both parties may cooperate more extensively in the area of energy conservation.