Shift
Article

Shift

We had prepared an extra thick edition of Hydro International for you, full of feature articles, columns, an interview and news from and a preview of Oceanology International 2020. However, this biannual top event for hydrography and oceanography, held at ExCeL in London, which always attracts thousands of people from all corners of the globe to visit the showcase of everything that is new or proven in our industries, has been postponed due to the coronavirus. As our aim is to serve the hydrographic community in the best way we can, we therefore changed – as much as possible – the focus of this issue.

A new, completely up-to-date, diverse and thick issue of Hydro International, updating you on all that is new in the industry is being printed and will be distributed shortly. Please visit www.hydro-international.com and our partner website www.geo-matching.com regularly to keep track of the very latest developments.

For this issue, I had the pleasure of interviewing Mark Heine, CEO of Fugro since October 2018. Heine talks about the transition the company is in, from a mainly oil- and gas-driven company to one that is relying on renewable energies such as offshore wind as a big source of revenue. As Heine points out, a shift is taking place in surveying companies like Fugro; formerly dependent on the fossil energy boom, they are now jumping on the bandwagon of greener energy sources, in response to the negative impact of climate change.

Somewhat more hidden in Fugro’s recent figures is the increase in the company’s revenue from hydrography in the segment that Fugro calls ‘nautical’. Water and flood protection are some of the factors behind the rise in this area of business for the Dutch surveying company. Factors that show, once again, a shift in the focus of the business that is heavily linked to climate change and the need to switch from fossil to other, more sustainable forms of energy. Another factor is the fast pace at which technology is changing. It is difficult for governments to keep up with these changes, so that consultation with and outsourcing to private parties is increasing.

Last but not least, more and more charting projects are being undertaken by philanthropists, and private parties such as Fugro are taking a lot of the day-to-day work out of their hands or are consulting with the philanthropists. The shift in the business towards a greener, more sustainable future for our globe and, moreover, for our oceans is inevitable, challenging and exciting at the same time. I wish you happy reading!

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