Cormagdalena Not Paying Damages to Jan De Nul Dredges

A dredging contract awarded to Jan De Nul was terminated this year, following a rupture in a dredge’s hull. In July this year, Colombian river management authority, Cormagdalena, said Jan De Nul’s trailing suction hopper dredge Francis Beaufort hit its hull during operations near the Boca de Ceniza section of the local Magdalena River. A few days after the incident on July 8, the river management authority said the Francis Beaufort was replaced by the trailing suction hopper dredge Medway, with “no additional costs.” Despite the force majeure event, a Cormagdalena executive said Jan De Nul was expected to meet the terms of the existing contract. Then, due to a contract termination, Cormagdalena hired Van Oord to continue dredging works. Van Oord used its trailing suction hopper dredge Lelystad to remove more than 220,000 cubic meters (287,749 cubic yards) of sediments near the access channel of Port of Barranquilla, helping it improve its navigability. Pedro Pablo Jurado, director at Cormagdalena, said the entity did not pay for any damages incurred to Jan De Nul’s dredges. The extent of damages wasn’t fully disclosed by either Cormagdalena or Jan De Nul.