Group proposition
Underwater works under one contracting framework
One point of contact. Multiple specialist capabilities. Underwater Solutions Group brings together regional operating companies and specialist disciplines within a coordinated European service structure.
- Operating companies
- 5
- Disciplines
- 8
- Countries
- Belgium · NL · FR · MT
- Work type
- Planned & urgent
Framework overview
What the framework means
Underwater scopes rarely stay inside one discipline or one country. A berth inspection becomes a repair. A vessel survey in Antwerp is followed by work in Rotterdam. A salvage response requires divers, ROV support and civil reinstatement in sequence.
The group framework exists so that an asset owner can prepare and coordinate that work through a single point of contact, while the work itself is executed by the operating company best placed for the region and discipline concerned.
Depending on project structure and regional requirements, contracting may take place with the group or directly with an operating company. The commercial structure is confirmed per project.
Client benefits
Why clients use the group structure
- One central point of contact for the scope
- Access to specialist regional operating companies
- Coordinated project preparation and scheduling
- Consistent documentation structure across regions
- Consolidated reporting per programme
- Regional operational and regulatory knowledge
- Multi-discipline project support in one scope
- Scalable mobilisation depending on requirement
- Shared safety principles across operating companies
- Support for both planned and urgent scopes
Services included
Disciplines within scope
Planned works
Civil Underwater Works
Construction, maintenance and repair of quay walls, locks, weirs and foundations, including underwater concrete and steel works.
Planned & urgent
Maritime Shipping Support
In-water services for seagoing vessels: hull and propeller cleaning, inspection, underwater repair and assistance in port.
Planned & urgent
Inland Shipping Support
Support for barges, terminals and inland fleets: damage assessment, propulsion works and clearance of obstructions.
Planned works
ROV & Underwater Inspections
Remotely operated vehicle inspection and survey where diver access is restricted or depth requires it.
Planned works
Offshore Support
Diving and ROV support for offshore structures, cables and installations, mobilised from European bases.
Planned & urgent
Salvage & Emergency Response
Casualty assistance, refloating, recovery of objects and wreck removal, coordinated with owners, authorities and insurers. Salvage expertise, deployed where the operation demands it, across Belgian, Benelux and wider European waters.
Planned works
Petrochemical & Industrial Works
Intake, outfall and jetty works for process industry, executed under plant permit procedures.
Planned works
Technical Consultancy
Technical scoping, supervision and independent reporting for underwater works and asset decisions.
Operating model
Regional execution, coordinated preparation
Single enquiry
The scope is received centrally and reviewed against discipline, region and urgency.
Company allocation
The operating company with the relevant regional presence and discipline is allocated to the work.
Method and risk
A written method statement and risk assessment are prepared for the specific structure, vessel or incident.
Mobilisation
Personnel and equipment are mobilised from the nearest suitable base; cross-border mobilisation is arranged where required.
Execution and supervision
Work is executed under a diving supervisor with documented dive records and video where applicable.
Reporting
Findings are reported in a consistent structure so results remain comparable between regions and over time.
Coordination
Safety, documentation and multi-country mobilisation
Safety and compliance
- Written method statement per scope
- Task-specific risk assessment before entry
- Diving supervision and documented dive records
- Client and port authority permit coordination
- Toolbox briefings and exclusion-zone control
Documentation and reporting
- Consistent report structure across companies
- Video and photographic documentation where visibility allows
- Structure sectioning so surveys stay comparable
- Consolidated reporting for multi-site programmes
- Retention of records for asset-management use
Multi-country mobilisation
- Belgian, Dutch, French and Maltese working areas
- Regional language capability within each company
- Local permit and port authority familiarity
- Cross-border equipment movement arranged per scope
- Scope-dependent lead time; no blanket response guarantee
Emergency response · 24/7
For casualty response, obstruction or urgent underwater damage assessment, contact the 24/7 emergency desk directly. Framework coordination follows afterwards.
Target audiences
Who the framework is designed for
- Shipowners and fleet managers
- Port authorities and terminal operators
- Infrastructure and waterway operators
- Industrial and petrochemical operators
- Offshore and energy companies
- Engineering and civil contractors
- Insurers, average adjusters and salvage interests
- Procurement departments and public authorities
Regional companies
Companies within the framework
Belgium
Antwerp Underwater Solutions
Underwater ship repair, maintenance and inspection
Belgium
Antwerp Underwater Salvage
Marine construction, repair and vessel services
Belgium / Netherlands
Benelux Diving
Civil commercial diving and underwater engineering
Netherlands
Underwater Solutions NL
Professional underwater services across the Netherlands
Malta
Underwater Solutions Malta
Certified underwater services for vessels and marine infrastructure
Projects
Representative scopes
Salvage
Emergency Salvage Of A Sunken Tugboat In The Port Of Antwerp
A 300-tonne harbour tug took on water at her berth and settled on the bottom alongside the quay. After a night-time call-out, the vessel was refloated in a controlled lifting and dewatering operation.
Salvage
Anchor And Anchor Chain Recovery On The River Scheldt
An inland vessel lost her complete anchor and anchor chain in bad weather on the River Scheldt. A hydrographic survey located the system on the riverbed and it was recovered, inspected and reinstalled within a single day.
Shipping
Emergency Repair Of A Vessel Stabilization System In A French Port
A displaced rubber element in a vessel's underwater stabilization system was forced back into place and permanently locked with a custom steel structure and wet welding, with the ship staying in the water.
Procurement
Procurement and tender information
For tenders and framework agreements we can provide company documentation, insurance details, certification evidence, method statement samples and reference scope descriptions on request. Documentation is issued per operating company, because registration, certification and insurance are held at company level.
Public procurement submissions are prepared centrally from Antwerp and signed by the contracting entity relevant to the region concerned.
FAQ
Framework questions
Do we contract with the group or with an operating company?
Both are possible. Depending on project structure and regional requirements, the contract may be placed with the group or directly with the operating company executing the work.
Is reporting identical across all regions?
Reporting follows a shared structure so results stay comparable, while local regulatory or client-specific formats are respected where required.
Can several countries be covered in one programme?
Yes. Multi-country programmes are coordinated centrally and executed by the relevant regional companies. Lead time depends on scope, permits and resource availability.
Is there a guaranteed emergency response time?
No. Mobilisation depends on the incident, location, permits and available resources. We do not publish a guaranteed response time.
Contact
Framework enquiry
Send us the disciplines, regions and timeframe involved and we will confirm the coordination route and the operating companies concerned.