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About us

Herbosch-Kiere is a specialist UK marine contractor with over 50 years of experience delivering complex marine construction, infrastructure and decommissioning projects throughout the United Kingdom.

Operating from bases on the South Coast ‘Shoreham Port’ and the Thames in London, we provide a comprehensive range of marine contracting services to ports, harbour authorities, government bodies, infrastructure owners, contractors and consultants. Our expertise spans heavy marine lifting, piling, sea defences, jetties, piers, quay walls, lock gates, bridges, link spans, foundations, wreck removal and specialist dredging operations, including the handling of contaminated seabeds.

At the heart of our business is a versatile in-house fleet of more than 30 multipurpose vessels and specialist items of equipment. These include heavy-lift crane vessels with lifting capacities of up to 4,000 tonnes, jack-ups, spud barges, rock dumpers, split hopper barges, backhoe dredgers, cranes and specialist foundation equipment. By owning and operating our own assets, we maintain greater control over programme, quality and cost, providing clients with reliable and efficient project delivery.

Herbosch-Kiere combines practical marine expertise with engineering excellence. Our highly experienced crews, engineers, estimators and project management teams work collaboratively with clients from the earliest planning stages through to successful project completion. We believe in adding value through innovative thinking, practical solutions and a proactive approach to overcoming challenges.

Backed by the strength of the Eiffage Group and supported by our parent company, Herbosch-Kiere NV in Belgium, we bring together local knowledge, international expertise and significant technical capability. This enables us to undertake projects of all sizes, from specialist marine operations to major infrastructure schemes, while maintaining the responsiveness and personal service of a dedicated marine contractor.

For more than five decades, our reputation has been built on safety, reliability, technical excellence and long-term relationships. We are committed to delivering high-quality marine engineering solutions that create lasting value for our clients and the communities they ser

Our strengths

  • Experienced Marine Civils Team

    We deliver complex port, harbour, coastal, and offshore projects with deep technical expertise and proven capability.

  • In-house Marine Plant

    Our owned fleet enables flexibility, rapid mobilisation, and full control over project delivery from start to finish.

  • Growing Industry network

    We are continuously expanding our partnerships and industry relationships, strengthening trust, visibility, and collaboration across the sector.

  • Financial Strenght and Stability

    Backed by Eiffage, we offer robust financial security and the capacity to support large-scale, complex infrastructure projects.
The group Eiffage

Global strength, local expertise

With over 50 years of continuous operation in the United Kingdom, Herbosch-Kiere has established itself as a trusted marine contractor serving ports, harbours, coastal authorities, government organisations and infrastructure owners across the country.

Our teams operate from strategically located bases on the South Coast ‘Shoreham Port’ and the Thames in London, providing direct access to key maritime regions throughout the UK. We understand the unique challenges of working within British ports, tidal waterways and coastal environments, as well as the regulatory, environmental and operational requirements that shape successful project delivery.

We are actively engaged on projects for the Ministry of Defence, major UK ports and harbour authorities, shipping operators, oil and gas terminal owners, offshore energy developers, and leading infrastructure organisations nationwide. Through decades of experience, we have developed strong working relationships across the marine and civil engineering sectors, collaborating closely with leading consultancies, contractors, asset owners and stakeholders to deliver safe, efficient and practical solutions.

While our focus remains firmly on serving the UK market, our clients also benefit from the resources and expertise of a much larger international organisation. Herbosch-Kiere Marine Contractors is part of the Herbosch-Kiere Group, headquartered in Belgium, and backed by Eiffage, one of Europe’s leading construction and engineering groups.

This unique combination provides the best of both worlds: a dedicated UK team with local knowledge, local accountability and local project experience, supported by a global network of marine engineering expertise, specialist plant, technical resources and financial strength. Whether delivering routine maintenance works or complex marine infrastructure projects, we offer clients the confidence of working with a contractor that understands the local environment and has the capability to deliver at any scale.

Our local presence, combined with international support, enables us to provide practical, responsive and reliable solutions for marine projects throughout the United Kingdom.

More about Herbosch-Kiere NV

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Our parent company

Herbosch-Kiere

Herbosch-Kiere Marine Contractors operates with the full support and heritage of our parent company, Herbosch-Kiere NV. Based in the Port of Antwerp, Belgium, Herbosch-Kiere NV has been a leading specialist in hydraulic and marine engineering for over a century.

  • In-house design expertise

  • Own equipment

  • Quay and depot at the port of Antwerp

  • 300 driven employees

  • Turnover of 124 million euros (2025)

Integrated maritime solutions through strategic partnerships

As a proud co-shareholder in several specialized companies, Herbosch-Kiere offers a truly integrated service. In collaboration with Scaldis Marine Contractors and CTOW, diverse and prestigious maritime assignments are fulfilled with a constant focus on safety and quality. Sustainability is promoted through ARC, which specializes in the recycling and disposal of construction and demolition waste, while the newest partner, CMOS, manages the CMOS Installer for specialized cable-laying projects. This collaborative network ensures the delivery of high-quality, comprehensive solutions for every maritime challenge.

More about Scaldis Marine Contractors

More about CTOW

More about ARC

More about CMOS

Our vision and values

How we
make a difference

“Making the difference” is more than a slogan, it is the signature of our Group, the reflection of the commitment of our employees, united by the sharing of common values that have been the bedrock of our identity since origin. Exemplarity, responsibility, trust, transparency, lucidity, courage and pugnacity … Being a Eiffage collaborator means living these values on a daily basis, in one’s decisions and achievements.

  • Exemplarity

    At Eiffage, exemplarity is the basis of respect for others. Through it, the Group's values become concrete. We do not ask others what we would not impose on ourselves. Whatever the circumstances, we act ethically, conscientiously and in strict compliance with the rules.

  • Responsibility

    At Eiffage, each at its own level represents and commits the group, each at its own level is responsible for the human and material resources for which it has been entrusted. Through empowerment, autonomy is preserved, decisions and initiatives are encouraged at the grassroots level.

  • Trust and confidence

    At Eiffage, all employees benefit from the trust and support of their superiors, who will also support them while facing difficulties. Actions are collective and are not built at the expense of others. Trust is a sign of recognition, it is the cement of cohesion and contributes to the development of each individual. Trust also governs Eiffage's relationship with its stakeholders and promotes a long-term partnership.

  • Transparency

    At Eiffage, the stakes are shared. Everyone knows what is expected of him and what he can expect from others. Trust requires transparency. The given information is reliable and exhaustive. It must be transmitted promptly. Concealment and falsification are not accepted. Everyone must bear the consequences of his actions. The error is admitted; only his repetition makes a mistake.

  • Lucidity

    Being an Eiffage employee means seeing and expressing things clearly and accurately... while being aware of your abilities but also of your limits. This allows the right assessment of risk and the mobilization of required resources. Lucidity provides the guarantee of achievable goals and commitments.

  • Courage and perseverance

    Being an Eiffage employee is an enthusiastic commitment at the service of projects... with perseverance and pugnacity, but without stubbornness and having the strength to face and overcome difficulties. It is also knowing how to show managerial courage towards its employees.

Our history

The Herbosch-Kiere story started more than 100 years ago with the company run by Eugène Herbosch which built up a reputation in shipping and ship salvage. In 1975, Herbosch joined forces with the Kiere company which specialised in heavy demolition and dynamiting. Together they formed Herbosch-Kiere. Later in 1993, Herbosch-Kiere Marine Contractors Ltd was established in London to strengthen the company’s presence in the UK market and the North Sea.

Our management

  • Humby Allister

    Allister Humby

    CEO Herbosch-Kiere Marine Contractors

  • Benny De Sutter

    CEO Herbosch-Kiere
    Director Eiffage Construction BeLux

  • Christophe Van Ophem

    CEO Eiffage Construction BeLux

Our workers

From our project managers, engineers and estimators to our vessel crews and marine specialists, Herbosch-Kiere is supported by a highly skilled and experienced workforce dedicated to the successful delivery of every project. Our UK-based management team works closely with clients throughout each stage of a project, providing a dedicated point of contact to ensure clear communication, responsive support and the highest standards of service. By combining technical expertise, practical marine experience and a collaborative approach, we deliver safe, efficient and reliable solutions across the UK’s marine and civil engineering sectors.

Testimonials

At Herbosch-Kiere, we take pride in every project we deliver.

We believe our reputation is built on the quality of our most recent work, and we strive to exceed our clients’ expectations on every project.

Here’s what our clients have to say about working with us.

“Very good service & well controlled operation carried out. A&P Group Falmouth would certainly recommend Herbosch-Kiere for Lock Gate refurbishment projects like this one.

Giving Herbosch-Kiere UK Marine Contractors Ltd 7 out of 7 marks for safety, planning, consultation, workmanship & equipment”

The project involved the refurbishment and reinstatement of one of A&P Falmouth’s dry dock gate systems, ensuring the continued safe and reliable operation of one of the UK’s largest commercial ship repair facilities. The works included the removal and refurbishment of critical gate components, specialist marine engineering, installation of new timber sealing elements and heel posts, precision alignment of the gate leaves, and commissioning prior to returning the dock to operational service. The project required careful planning to minimise disruption to the operational shipyard and was delivered within a live marine environment, coordinating specialist fabrication, heavy lifting and marine construction activities

A&P Group Falmouth No 3 Dock Gates

Head of Engineering

“A strong site management company with proven experience.”

We gave Herbosch-Kiere 7 out 7 for Communication, Workmanship, Integrity, Responsiveness & Site Management.”

Stolthaven Terminal Marine Works

Herbosch-Kiere successfully delivered a programme of specialist marine construction works at the Stolthaven Terminal, supporting the continued safe and efficient operation of this key bulk liquid storage facility. Working within a live operational environment, the project required careful planning, close coordination with terminal operations and strict adherence to health, safety and environmental standards.

The works demonstrated Herbosch-Kiere’s expertise in delivering complex marine infrastructure projects, utilising specialist marine plant and experienced personnel to complete the works safely, efficiently and with minimal disruption to the client’s operations.

Cosmin Batca - Stolthaven Dagenham Ltd,

Project Manager