Dredging Management Commission discusses papers on contract-type selection and soil investigations
In their 11th meeting on 18 September, CEDA’s Dredging Management Commission (DMC), discussed, amongst others, two upcoming guidance papers. In line with DMC’s objectives, both papers elaborate on one-one topic that have been identified as particularly relevant by users of the CEDA Checklist for Successful Dredging Management published in 2017 available for CEDA members free of chrage from this page. See the 4-page extract of the document here.
Upcoming papers
The guidance paper “Effective contract-type selection in the dredging industry” prepared by a CEDA working group (WG) set up by DMC is for key stakeholders participating in a contract. The paper will be launched and presented by WG Chair and DMC member, Charles Wilsoncroft (HKA, UK) at the CEDA Dredging Days 2019 on 7 November. The paper has three parts:
- The first part is a generic procurement process flowchart that visualises the procurement process as a whole. Five stages are described and explained that set out the main considerations to be taken into account by those procuring works, resulting in the selection of the contract type;
- The second part, a table setting out certain key aspects that may be taken into account when assessing the contracting method. The strength of this unique table is that it is established by a DMC-recognised group of specialists operating at both sides of dredging and offshore industry — both (end) clients and (main) contractors. The table includes six key aspects of procurement route/contract selection and details numerous sub-aspects that can be taken into account by users in assessing their optimum procurement strategy;
- The third part combines the output of the first two parts, in an innovative and creative way, resulting in an objective scoring methodology not to be found in any other publication that allows users to compare their specific project with various standardised contract types.
The second paper is on soil investigations. This topic has been identified by readers of the Checklist almost immediately as a very "tricky" subject, often giving rise to disputes during a project. Soil investigation is mentioned in the CEDA checklist as part of the “Preliminary Studies” that should be performed in an early project stage, as e.g. also bathymetric surveys, UXO detection survey, measurement campaigns on hydrodynamic conditions, environmental state etc… The output of all of these studies will serve to compose a “Basis of Design”, a very important contractual document informing all parties involved – the contractor, the client and other stakeholders – about local site conditions and design rules and employers requirements to apply in that particular project. A soil investigation is one of the many preliminary studies to perform, however in case of major dredging or reclamation works, often the most important one as it can reduce the main project risks and uncertainties significantly.
As already many valuable sources exist on the way how to perform a soil investigation, this paper does not intend to repeat this information. On the contrary, it wants to highlight the most common issues arising with soil investigations and give some recommendations to the reader on how to avoid these related pitfalls as much as possible. Also, as a proper soil investigation always is very project-specific, some guidance is given on where to find the most relevant info (standards and references) that can help in designing and planning of such a soil investigation.
This information paper is being prepared by a task group within the DMC. The commission discussed the first draft. Kathleen De Wit, member of the task group, will give more insight into the planned content of this paper at CEDA Dredging Days 2019.
Site visit
The meeting took place in the Monaco offices of Bouygues Travaux Publics. It was organised by DMC member, Camille Kapela (Egis Ports, France) currently stationed at Bouygues Travaux Publics in Monaco, where she has been supervising the dredging works for the Monaco land extension project. DMC is grateful to Bouygues and Camille for making it possible to visit the site and to see this impressive project up-close-and-personal. Camille will tell about the project and its dredging challenges (environmental, technological, logistical...) during the coming CEDA Dredging Days (see summary), based on their joint paper with colleague from the contractor Jan De Nul.
Above: DMC members participating in the 11th meeting of the Commission (l to right: ) 1st row: Kathleen De Wit, IMDC, Belgium; Camille Kapela, Egis Ports, France; Koos van der Geer, Van Oord Dredging & Marine Contractors, the Netherlands; Mark Winkelman, Damen Dredging, the Netherlands; Claus Iversen, Femern A/S, Denmark; Johny Van Acker, Dredging International, Belgium; Hilco Timmer, Witteveen+Bos, the Netherlands; Johan van der Vorm, Royal Boskalis Westminster, the Netherlands.