Dredging group Boskalis more than doubled its net profit in the first six months of this year, benefiting from a worldwide increase in demand for land reclamation.

Turnover and the group’s order book also reached record levels, Boskalis said. Net profit reached €78.8m, compared with €37.8m in the first half of 2006. Turnover was up 36% at €756m.
Major dredging and construction projects in the Middle East, China and Brazil are largely behind the increase. ‘Demand is greater than capacity,’chairman Peter Berdowski told news agency ANP.