Services

Hovercraft

A unique piece of equipment in the Netherlands is the hovercraft. It is ideal for the quick transport of people across water or to carry out wet and dry survey work. In addition, the hovercraft is eminently suitable to provide assistance in case of oil spills.

One of the major advantages of a hovercraft is its non-existing draught. The vessel will easily move across a sandbank. Another advantage is the craft's maximum speed; in normal weather conditions, it will travel 70 kilometres per hour. Fog and ice will not deter it. In case of a calamity, the hovercraft will reach any location very quickly. People are taken to safety in hardly any time at all.

Finally, the air-filled skirt provides the hovercraft with excellent bearing capacity, allowing it to surmount obstacles of up to a half a metre and grades of up to 20 percent.

On our own flatbed trailer, the hovercraft can be transported quickly to any desired location.

Catamaran

In order to effectively fight calamities on water, Hoondert had the catamaran Octopus built. This aluminium ship has a length of 13 metres and a width of 5.60 metres. The craft's draught is a mere 60 centimetres. Thanks to this slight draught, it is possible to get very close to the shore. The Octopus can achieve a speed of some 50 kilometres per hour, allowing it to reach the location of a calamity very quickly.

The craft is equipped with sweepers. Using the A frame mounted on the afterdeck, the oil screens are rolled out at high speed in order to contain the extent of a calamity. In addition, the ship has special infrared equipment allowing people to be rescued from drowning even at night.

The Octopus is also deployed as diving craft, as a transport vessel for persons, and to provide general support. The ship can sail up to 15 miles off the coast and has a spacious cabin that can be pressurised. The crew has ultra-modern communication and navigation equipment to work with. In addition, the Octopus is eminently suitable for survey work and can be expanded upon with a wide range of survey equipment.

Where did the name Octopus come from?

Together with the Department of Public Works, Hoondert chose for the name Octopus because it has eight tentacles, and there are eight waters in Zeeland. And an Octopus has three hearts, symbolising the collaboration between the Department of Public Works, Hoondert and Martens Cleaning in calamity control.