The Dutch Directorate General for Public Works and Water Management has contracted Royal Boskalis Westminster and Van Oord to reinforce part of the province Zuid-Holland’s coastline by creating a ‘sand engine’. The total value of the contract is € 50 million and is split evenly between the two companies.
The project entails the creation of a sand engine. This involves depositing 21.5 million cubic meters of sand in the shape of a hook extending from the coast near Ter Heijde. The sand will be spread along the provincial coastline by the natural motion of wind, waves and currents. This principle of building with nature will reinforce the coastline in a new and natural way. Therefore, the sand engine contributes to both coastal protection and nature and recreation.
Project Starts Early 2011
The contract is an Engineering & Construct contract, meaning that the further development of the design and realization is in the hands of the consortium. The project will commence early 2011 and is scheduled to take over a year. It will involve the deployment of several large trailing suction hopper dredgers.
