MEA July 2017

84 MEA MARKETS / July 2017 , Ecocoast Contracting LLC provides specialist marine contracting and coastal protection services to developers, contractors, operators and governments across theMiddle East, Africa and Asia. After their success inwinning the Best Marine Contracting & Coastal Protection Service - Middle East award, we spoke to Lachlan Jackson, Managing Director, to find out more about the business and the services it offers. Driving Innovation and Creativity Please tell me about your firm, the work you do and the types of clients with whom you work. Ecocoast provides a unique portfolio of marine, coastal protection and demarcation solutions to answer the marine industry’s most pressing coastal problems. Our core business provides specialist marine contracting and coastal protection services to developers, contractors, operators and governments, primarily in the UAE, though we have a large client base of multinationals whom we service across the Middle East, North and East Africa, including the Indian subcontinent. We also design, manufacture and distribute globally our range of marine barriers under the brand Ecobarrier. When undertaking a new project or working with a new client, what steps does your firm take to ensure the clients receives the best possible outcome? We take a very client-centric approach to our works and focus on building strong relationships, so we understand what they are looking for. That said, our core purpose is to pioneer – this means that we are not afraid to take a controversial stance with clients on the best solution, even if it is not in line with their view of what needs to be done or even in our best interest. What is your firm’s overall mission and what steps do you take to achieve this?
 Our mission is to better the industry by continuously setting new standards in marine, coastal protection and demarcation solutions. We were the first to install environmentally friendly pile sleeves in the Middle East to prolong the lifespan of marine piles. Sleeved piles typically have a lifespan of 50-100 years, never suffer corrosion and withstand the harshest UV environments, like the Middle East. The sleeves do not contain toxins that can leach into ecosystems or negatively impact water quality, unlike traditional methods such as heavy metal coatings, making them the ultimate environmentally friendly solution. Sleeves are approximately 1/3rd the cost of a full pile replacement and can increase the lifespan by 3-4 times. We were also responsible for the first sand-filled megacontainer installation in the UAE in 2007, and since that time, have been designing and installing similar structures as an alternative method for coastal protection in various countries across the region. Our goal is to continue to lead an innovation culture by turning ideas into solutions that are new to the region or better than what is currently on the market. What differentiates your firm from your competitors and marks you out as the best possible option for your clients? What differentiates us the most is that we are uniquely able to provide one-stop-shopping for our clients. From (custom) design to manufacturing and supply to specialist contracting services, we pride ourselves in offering a complete range of high quality solutions across the full marine project lifecycle. What also sets us apart is that we have been developing and UA170045