Chatham Rock Phosphate’s two new international directors are visiting Wellington this week to meet a range of people from organisations involved in the company’s subsea mining project.
Royal Boskalis representative Ko de Blaeij and marine mining expert Robert Goodden will be meeting key members of and advisers to the Chatham management team, plus government officials and Ministers.
Chief Executive Chris Castle said the newly enlarged board has already met by phone but this was the first opportunity to get around the table together. It is also a chance for the Board to familiarise themselves with progress on a number of fronts ranging from scientific and technical workstreams to permitting processes and financing.
“We’re delighted to have broadened the skills of the board with two highly experienced people with very broad international business and technical skills, in addition to our other recent board appointee Dr Robin Falconer, who has had a comprehensive understanding of the resource going back to the 1980s.”
Mr de Blaeij said Boskalis regards this project as an exciting new challenge that applies a range of existing technologies in a new way.
“I am looking forward to meeting all of the people in New Zealand delivering the project milestones. The Chatham team is working very well with our engineers and technical people who are developing detailed designs for the mining system. ”
Mr Goodden, who has a background in marine drilling and construction, has assisted Chatham with some of its international connections.
“This is a world-leading project in the marine mining industry and I am delighted to be associated with it. I am impressed at the progress the company has made over the past couple of years and think the next two years will be very exciting as we work through the permitting and construction phases.”
Immediately following the New Zealand meetings, key Chatham representatives will be visiting Royal Boskalis headquarters in Papendrecht, the Netherlands, for regular operational status meetings.
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Press Release, April 12, 2013