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Reclamation project increases size of Rotterdam Port by 2,000 hectares
The Port of Rotterdam’s Maasvlakte II reclamation project reached completion this week.
The unique project assigned to the PUMA consortium, which included dredging giants Boskalis and Van Oord, increases the size of Europe’s largest port by an additional 2,000 hectares.
Marcel van Gent, the Maasvlakte II project manager at Deltares, described the completion of the new port extension as a fantastic achievement by PUMA.
“It's not often that large construction projects like this are completed within time and on budget,” said van Gent.
“The final completion of the Maasvlakte II shows how PUMA has performed impressively on the creation of this new part of the Netherlands. And I'm very happy that PUMA gave innovation a chance during the design of the hard sea wall.”
Deltares carried out extensive studies using scale models, advanced software and simulators for the project at theDeltares Delta and Scheldt Flumes. The company also tested and optimised the design of the 3.5 kilometre hard seawall, which combines a block dam and a ‘pebble beach’ (a slope structure made up of loose stones).
“The ultimate result is a hard sea wall that is unique in the world,” adds van Gent.
“Nobody has ever managed before to design a pebble beach that meets such stringent safety requirements.’
‘This is an approach that other land reclamation projects can use to their advantage. It is an innovative solution that can save millions, and still provide optimal protection.”
DP World and APM Terminals will both operate new container facilities at the Maasvlakte II development, with both terminals scheduled to begin operations in 2014.
