(With video) Last week, Melanie Schultz van Haegen, Dutch Minister of Infrastructure and the Environment, opened the Maasvlakte 2. This phase of MV 2 was constructed on schedule and turned out € 150 million less expensive than estimated.
A fleet of around 25 vessels, varying from classic three-masters to a modern container ship, were the first to sail officially via the Yangtzekanaal to Maasvlakte 2.
Container Terminals Operational at the End of Next Year
Hans Smits, CEO of the Port of Rotterdam Authority: ‘From today, Maasvlakte 2 is an integral part of the port area. The area is now accessible by road, rail and water. The construction of the two container terminals of RWG and APMT is on schedule. They will be operational at the end of next year, but there will be other activity in the short term as well.’
Infrastructure for New Businesses
‘In the second half of this year, the Port Authority will place poles in the inland lake of Maasvlakte 2 for ship-to-ship transfer. There are also advanced plans for developing an industrial park for the (bio-based) chemical industry on the site next to Lyondell. Together with partners, the Port Authority will construct the infrastructure so that new businesses can set to work quickly. We have also observed that there is increased interest in distribution activities due to the coming of the new container terminals,’ stated Smits.
Maritime Access
Considerable simulation research was carried out for the waterways on Maasvlakte 2. This helped determine the shape and width of the waterways and port basins that were constructed. The Yangtzekanaal is 600 metres wide so that two mega container ships can pass each other while a third is moored at the quay.
The dominant wind direction in the Netherlands is southwest. The Amaliahaven has the same orientation, so moored vessels catch less wind there. And the shape of Maasvlakte 2 has reduced the cross current in the mouth of the Nieuwe Waterweg. Vessels with deep draught in particular now have less trouble with this.
Contractor Consortium PUMA
On 1 September 2008, the then mayor Opstelten gave the go-ahead for the construction of Maasvlakte 2. Contractors Boskalis and Van Oord, united in PUMA, sprayed 240 million cubic metres of sand, constructed a 3.5-km hard seawall with 7 million tonnes of stone and 20,000 concrete blocks from the old seawall, built several kilometres of quay wall and laid down roads and railway lines.
700 Hectares
The port now has 700 hectares more land for business sites. Another 300 hectares will be added to this in the second phase. Work is currently still underway to achieve the optimum connection of the infrastructure on Maasvlakte 2 to the existing port area.
Milestones in 2012
- The bathing beach was opened for use in May.
- Queen Beatrix closed the seawall in July.
- The road and railway along the seawall were opened in October. The latter was necessary before work could start in November on opening the Yangtzekanaal through to Maasvlakte 2. This was required to provide access for vessels with equipment for the new container terminals of APMT and RWG.
€ 150 Million Cheaper
Now that Maasvlakte 2 has been opened, the actual costs are also clear. In 2006 it was estimated that an amount of €1.7 billion would be spent on the first phase of Maasvlakte 2.
On top of that, as customary with this type of project, due to its complexity and size, a kind of “contingency sum” was estimated: an extra amount of € 200 million for large setbacks and deviations from the original plan, so-called scope expansions. This brought the budget to €1.9 billion.
It now looks like the first phase cost € 1.55 billion. The work ended up € 150 million cheaper than estimated, and the “contingency sum” of € 200 million does not have to be touched.
Pictures above and below (please click the little squares at the bottom right to watch the pictures in their proper dimensions): Minister of Infrastructure and Environment, Melanie Schultz van Haegen, opens the port expansion project Maasvlakte 2 (by Bart Maat).
Below also a video of the opening with an interview with Minister Schultz van Haegen (in Dutch)
