You have chosen to pay the license fees to the historical patent holder
Relying on the historical holders of the technology can be reassuring—because they are the originators of the patent and because they carried out the laboratory tests. Within the framework of the license agreement, they provide standard services that do not always cover the full needs of the companies responsible for constructing the structures. CLAS provides the services that are not included in the license agreement.
Safety
Historical license vendors do not provide any safety training.
Handling and precisely placing artificial concrete armour units underwater requires specific safety techniques and procedures, which may vary from one type of unit to another. Without appropriate training, operators are exposed to a significant risk of accidents.
Safety in the Technical Information Document
Version E dated 18/12/2019, which was provided to us for the construction works of the Martigues breakwater in 2023.
Safety Provisions
The COMPANY that has entered into the concession contract for the use of the ACCROPODE™ II technology is fully responsible for the execution of this contract, in compliance with the safety conditions imposed by the laws in force in the country of use.
CLI, or its representative, cannot be held liable for any safety-related failure.
The application of all safety rules rests entirely with the COMPANY.
All technical documentation provided by CLI only sets out conceptual aspects of implementation and must necessarily be adapted by the COMPANY in order to fully ensure the safety of personnel, in accordance with international regulations and those in force in the country of manufacture or use.
ACCROPODE™ II is a registered trademark owned by ARTELIA, which is in no way affiliated with CLAS.
Construction Assistance
Construction Assistance
With regard to construction assistance, the position of the license vendor is unambiguous and is set out in Visit Report No. 3 dated May 24, 2023, which was provided to us by the contractor on the Martigues construction site.
CLI provides no safety training, since safety rules are specific to each construction site and depend on the regulations in force in the country where the technology is used. It is therefore the responsibility of the COMPANY to adapt the construction methodologies and to provide all necessary means to ensure the safety of personnel on site.
Furthermore, it is expressly recalled that neither CLI nor its representatives take part in the management or organization of the works. In cases where works are to be carried out based on the advice of a CLI representative, a site manager must be appointed to carry out these operations. The CLI representative is neither qualified nor trained to perform or manage construction works.
Why companies turn to CLAS
CLAS provides full-time technical and safety assistance, delivered by professional diving inspectors.
This approach ensures compliance with project specifications (CCTP), team safety, and the long-term durability of maritime structures.
Services include:
continuous on-site supervision,
divers certified by COFRAC, IMCA and HSE,
ongoing training of site personnel,
daily inspection reports,
final certification of conformity covering all structural components of the structure,
and recognized technical and legal independence, acknowledged by project owners.
CLAS has been appointed on several occasions as an independent technical expert, notably on the Nouvelle Route du Littoral (NRL) project, to assess armour layer quality and conformity, establish risk diagnostics, and supervise repair works.
Contractors remain fully free to choose their subcontractors and service providers and are under no obligation toward licence vendors.
They purchase the right to use a trademark, while retaining full freedom regarding their methods, procedures, and choice of collaborators.
The Port-La-Nouvelle Breakwater Construction Project
Faced with the inability to protect the offshore breakwater at the Port-La-Nouvelle construction site, and after 18 months of unsuccessful attempts despite the assistance of the licence provider, BOUYGUES called upon a CLAS team, which successfully secured the structure in just two months.
THE KUANTAN PROJECT
Faced with the inability to properly construct this colossal structure in Malaysia, and after three years of unsuccessful efforts despite the contractual assistance of the license vendor, the project owner called upon a CLAS team. CLAS supported the contractor, enabled the successful completion of the structure, and delivered its certification as a CLASS A BREAKWATER.
An International Presence on Major Projects
An International Presence on Major Projects
CLAS has supported numerous maritime projects using different licensed concrete armour unit technologies across France, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, including:
Ras Laffan, Khalifa, Ports of Sète, Argelès-sur-Mer, Bastia, Martigues, Ospedaletti, Marchica, Zakum Islands, Kuantan, Barakah, Al Zour, Al Faw, Puerto Moín, La Turballe, Zirku Island, and many others.
For all of these projects, a license agreement was signed directly between the construction contractor and the license holder, in accordance with the requirements of the project owner.
CLAS is not affiliated with these companies that commercialize usage rights. CLAS intervenes exclusively under a separate, independent technical assistance contract, covering safety, supervision, training, construction efficiency, and certification.
This position of total independence guarantees the neutrality of inspections and the reliability of the certifications issued by CLAS.
CLAS is fully independent from companies that commercialize usage rights for branded systems whose patents have entered the public domain. We have demonstrated our ability to support contractors and enable them to deliver their projects on schedule and without reservations at handover.
We report exclusively to project owners and our clients.
Your safety, your technical success, and your financial performance are not merely our satisfaction — they are our responsibility and the reason you place your trust in us.
On the pages Our References and Client Testimonials, you will find a comprehensive list of projects and testimonials demonstrating our ability to successfully carry out the missions entrusted to us.
This structure benefited from the technical support of CLAS.
This structure was not carried out with the technical support of CLAS.
