Consulting firm KPMG recently advised Dutch maritime services giant Royal Boskalis Westminster on its acquisition of maritime emergency response specialist Ardent Americas. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA90) – passed in the wake of the Exxon Valdez oil tanker spill in Alaska – shipowners in US waters must contract with emergency response companies for salvage and marine firefighting services.
Ardent Americas is one of the leading players under OPA90, covering approximately 500 shipowners and 4,000 vessels.
The company was created in 2015 through the merger of Svitzer Salvage and Titan Salvage, and operates from Houston and Fort Lauderdale in the US. It is a subsidiary of Ardent Global Marine Services, a Netherlands-based firm with global operations providing emergency preparedness and response, subsea services, wreck removal, and decommissioning services.
Boskalis’ acquisition of Ardent Americas bolsters its existing position in the US maritime salvage market. The company currently provides OPA90 services in the US with Donjon-Smit through its subsidiary Smit Salvage and joint venture partner Donjon Marine.
Big Four firm KPMG advised Boskalis on the deal, providing financial due diligence services. The KPMG team was led by Louis Allers, Tim Lebbink, Nick Rohrbach.
Based in Papendrecht, The Netherlands, Boskalis provides global dredging, offshore contracting, and maritime services. Its activities cover coastal defense, riverbank protection, land reclamation, and development of offshore energy infrastructure. The company is also active in the construction and maintenance of ports, waterways, and civil infrastructure, as well as in marine salvage and harbor towage. Boskalis has a fleet of more than 700 vessels and floating equipment, and 9,600 global employees.