Boskalis has exceeded expectations in what has proven to be a very turbulent and challenging 2020 with an EBITDA of EUR 404 million. Net operating profit amounted to EUR 90 million.
Furthermore many new projects were acquired resulting in a record high order book of EUR 5.3 billion. Tightened financial management further strengthened the balance sheet and improved the net cash position to EUR 439 million.
Nevertheless, the COVID-19 pandemic has had far-reaching consequences for Boskalis. The prolonged disruptions for international air travel and stringent quarantine measures affected projects outside Europe, particularly in the Dredging division.
In the Offshore Energy division mainly the services activities suffered from the unexpected sharp fall in the oil price, resulting in a drop in demand in parts of the offshore market.
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the sharp drop in the oil price, Boskalis once again undertook a critical review of the valuation of vessels and balance sheet assets across the board. This resulted in a virtually exclusively non-cash exceptional charge of EUR 195 million of which three quarters had already been recorded in the first half of the year. This charge consist mainly of an impairment on goodwill and vessels in two joint ventures as well as of a limited number of own assets and an impairment on brand names.
Compared to last year, revenue decreased by 4.5% to EUR 2.525 billion (2019: EUR 2.645 billion). Adjusted for (de)consolidation and currency effects, revenue was 6.9% lower.
EBITDA totalled EUR 404 million and the Operating result amounted to EUR 140 million, both excluding exceptional charges. In 2019, EBITDA amounted to EUR 376 million and the Operating result to EUR 28 million.
In 2020, a net operating profit of EUR 90 million was realized. Including exceptional charges, a net loss of EUR 97 million remains (2019: net profit EUR 75 million).
In both 2020 and 2019, the result was affected by a number of exceptional items. In 2020, this concerned the previously mentioned almost entirely non-cash charge of EUR 195 million, which is largely recognized at group level. In 2019, this concerned book gains of EUR 82 million from various sales transactions.
In the Dredging & Inland Infra segment, revenue decreased by 13% at a lower profit margin.
Revenue from Offshore Energy increased by more than 4%. Contracting revenue was virtually stable with a busy year at Seabed Intervention.