- published: 17 Mar 2014
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Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. is a Netherlands-based company that provides services relating to the construction and maintenance of maritime infrastructure on an international basis. The company is claimed to have the world's largest dredging fleet. In 2007 the company was engaged in two major contracts in Australia - a €300 million contract to deepen the shipping channels of Port Phillip in Melbourne utilising its dredge the Queen of the Netherlands, and a €50 million contract to expand the harbour at Newcastle The company is also involved in a €1.1 billion contract to develop a new port in Abu Dhabi.
On 15 September 2008 Boskalis offered €1.11 billion for fellow Dutch maritime company Smit International. Despite the offer being promptly rejected by Smit's board, Boskalis subsequently built a stake of over 25% in the firm and expressed a continuing desire to buy a number of its business units. A revised offer of €1.35 billion was accepted by Smit in January 2010, with Boskalis declaring its offer unconditional that March.