Case: Creating clarity for the joint venture of Boskalis and Scaldis

The challenge

Boskalis and Scaldis are two well respected internationally operating marine contractors. They joined forces to execute a large decommissioning project of platforms located in the North Sea. The activities of Boskalis and Scaldis, related to this project, were brought together in a new entity – a joint venture.

The contribution of each of the individual parties to this joint venture was discussed at the start of the cooperation. Over the years, previous agreements became somewhat blurred. Who does what in the preparation? Who sets the standards for certain activities? Which processes are in place within the joint venture and how do they interact? The management board of the joint venture wanted all employees to have a consistent answer to typical questions like these. Therefore, clarity on tasks, cooperation, communication, processes, roles, and responsibilities was needed.

Because of our experience with smoothening processes within joint ventures, they asked us to bring back clarity. With the actual execution of the decommissioning project on the horizon, we were also asked to develop a quality management system for their joint venture.

How Quattor P helped

To get clarity about the processes, and the division of tasks, we went back to the foundation of the joint venture. We started by looking at the structure of the joint venture. We looked at the relation between the parent companies, the client, and any subcontracted parties. Finally, we made sure we had a clear vision on all contractual requirements.

With this information as a starting point, we had discussions with several people within the joint venture. We tried to learn about:

  • their current way of working;
  • their way of sharing information;
  • their position in the joint venture;
  • the approval process;
  • (documented) information used;
  • their view on their contribution to the overall decommissioning work;
  • their knowledge of the contractual issues.

By having open discussions with the people involved, we were able to bring back clarity regarding:

  • the roles and responsibilities;
  • the expectations of the individual companies;
  • the individual roles of the people in the joint venture and in the individual parties Boskalis and Scaldis.

Parallel to this process we developed and implemented the key elements of a quality management system.

With their vast knowledge in culture and processes, Quattor P was highly-equipped to design and implement the needed Safety and Quality Management System. They took into account the unique requirements for the projects as well as the specific backgrounds and ways of working of the Joint Venture Partners. It is definitely a large advantage that Quattor P is able to speak within all layers within the Joint Venture Partners as well as within the Client. Especially the personal approach and dedication was highly appreciated!Marco TanisProject Director

The result

We created clarity for both the joint venture and also their client. We translated all the collected information into flowcharts and presented it to them in face-to-face group sessions. We also made it available to everyone in the joint venture through SharePoint. Because everyone now knows exactly what their role and contribution to the project is, the processes are more effective and predictable. This has improved the quality of the output.