DEME has released its annual report for 2023, marking the second report since the company’s stock listing in 2022. The company reports a notable 22 per cent increase in the order book and a record-high turnover of EUR 3.3 billion.
DEME states that the year was defined by significant advancements in geographic expansion, the introduction of innovative vessels, substantial growth, and several major wins. The order book increased to EUR 7.6 billion, and turnover increased by 24 per cent.
In a joint message in the annual report, CEO Luc Vandenbulcke and chairman Luc Bertrand, emphasise: ‘We are pleased to say that all of our four segments, Offshore Energy, Dredging & Infra, Environmental and Concessions, have put in a strong performance. Our strategy of leveraging the synergies between them with mutual reinforcement is certainly working.’
They add: ‘We entered the US offshore wind market and started constructing a wind farm in Taiwan – two new territories for DEME. We introduced revolutionary new vessels – Viking Neptun and Green Jade – and new offshore installation concepts, new technologies… We have again dared to be a pioneer while mastering the risks.’
2023 also saw a crane upgrade of the Sea Installer, which was subsequently deployed at the Vineyard Offshore Wind Farm in the US. In 2024, DEME expects to take delivery of the largest fallpipe vessel in the world, the Yellowstone.
Also read: VIDEO: How Huisman built the 1600mt Leg Encircling Crane for DEME’s Sea Installer
Offshore energy
Among the projects in the US were Southfork Wind, which has already been completed, while Vineyard Wind 1 is underway. DEME is now preparing for the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Farm. In France, the contractor is workung on the Le Tréport and Noirmoutier offshore wind farms. The new floating offshore installation vessel Green Jade began work on the Zhong Neng project in Taiwan in July.
Other Offshore highlights included a substantial cable contract for Baltic Power, which marks DEME’s first offshore wind farm project in Poland. Vandenbulcke and Bertrad add that ‘activities at the Hinkley Point nuclear power plant in the UK, drilling the shafts for the intake and outfall structures’ also continued.
Also read: Green Jade joins DEME fleet
Dredging and environmental projects
Notable dredging and infra projects are the Princess Elisabeth Island, dredging works in Abu Qirin Egypt and dredging and land reclamation works in Abu Dhabi. Delivered projects include port expansion projects in Sri Lanka, Italy, and Poland, while new contracts were won in Africa, India, Saudi Arabia and The Maldives. Infra has made good progress on the Fehmarnbelt Fixed Link, Oosterweel, New Lock Terneuzen and the Blankenburg Connection.
DEME’s Environmental division performed work in Belgium and Scotland as well as major dyke reinforcements in the Netherlands, while it is also working on tackling PFAS pollution.
Concessions and deepsea exploration
Vandenbulcke and Bertrand: ‘DEME Concessions is forging ahead with the Blankenburg Connection and Port-La Nouvelle and meanwhile, things are progressing well at its 2 GW offshore wind concession, ScotWind. At ourflagship green hydrogen project HYPORT Duqm in Oman, DEME and its development partner OQ signed a Project Development Agreement with Hydrom. HYPORT Duqm remains on track to be amongst the first in the world to produce green hydrogen and green ammonia.’
GRS is DEME’s deepsea exploration company. In 2023, Transocean entered into the company. According to Vandenbulcke and Bertrand, ‘this powerful strategic alliance will both strengthen GSR’s subsea experience and in turn contribute to its leadership position in the deep seabed minerals sector.’
The CEO and chairman conclude: ‘On the strength of these outstanding results, we enter 2024 confident in our ability to deliver on our sustained profitable growth ambition.’
Picture by DEME.
Also read: DEME installs first foundation of US offshore wind farm
