Boskalis Buys Gardline Group

Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. has acquired all shares of the UK-based Gardline Group.

Gardline Group's main activities include marine geophysical surveys, offshore geotechnical services and environmental surveys.

Boskalis said that this acquisition is in line with the company's ''strategic ambition to build a position in the offshore survey market and become a specialist provider of subsea geotechnical surveys with an exposure to the renewables market and the early cyclical oil and gas market.''

Gardline operates 15 survey-related vessels in addition to 25 smaller vessels including crew transfer vessels and survey catamarans.

The consideration paid including assumed debt amounts to approximately GBP 40 million, Boskalis said.

Gardline's principal offices are located in Great Yarmouth, with further activities in the USA, Brazil and Singapore.

The company currently employs approximately 750 employees including a pool of 100 surveyors. Its core geographical market is Northwest Europe, where Gardline is the main competitor of Fugro in marine surveys, Boskalis said.