The largest construction project in the port of Rotterdam is gradually taking shape in the Prinses Amaliahaven on Maasvlakte 2.
In total, 1,825 metres of deep-sea quay, 160 metres of inland waterway quay and 360 metres of earth-retaining structure will be constructed on both sides of the port that stretches approximately 2.5 kilometres.
It is anticipated that the construction of these new quays could lead to the handling of 4 million TEU more in the port of Rotterdam each year. Considering that the Dutch port handled a total of approximately 15 million TEU in 2021, this represents a considerable increase in capacity.
In February 2021, a consortium consisting of the constructing companies HOCHTIEF, Ballast Nedam and Van Oord was awarded the mega-contract by the Port of Rotterdam Authority.
The chief civil engineer, Fred Attema of Ballast Nedam is responsible for the substructure of the quays and everything under the concrete, from foundations and piles to sheet piles.
The three companies will focus on sustainability, as they have a detailed carbon dioxide (CO2) dashboard that monitors emissions from each individual machine.
“We use electric loaders and excavators wherever we can, we use green power and renewable power from the solar panels on the site office. Whenever we use fuel, it is Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) and this produces 89% less CO2 than diesel and also emits lower amounts of particulates, nitrogen and sulphur,” explained Attema.
The quays are constructed in 25-metre sections, with the quay wall consisting of tubular piles that measure 1.40 metres in diameter, and 1.80-metre sheet piling in between. Together with the grout anchors, 1,150 inclined vibro piles will ensure that the quays can withstand the forces of the mooring ships, according to Mesut Oğuz from HOCHTIEF.
“We are also going to fit some of them with fibre-optic cables full of sensors, which will allow real-time monitoring of the forces exerted on the structure during free dredging and when ships berth at the quay wall,” Oğuz pointed out.
A similar solution will be installed on the quays. In this case, smart bollards will measure the strain on the mooring lines. When force is applied to a bollard, it will move slightly.
In addition, a sensor will measure the force and will send the results directly to the Port of Rotterdam Authority, allowing the continuous monitoring of safety but also providing clearer insight into which vessels can moor at which quays.
The primary work of the construction started in the first quarter of 2021, with the construction of roads, site offices and a warehouse, as well as a temporary quay so a large amount of the materials could be supplied by barge.
This saves around 20,000 truck movements, which is more sustainable, and also “saves a lot of congestion on the construction site and the surrounding road network,” according to Van Oord who handles the dredging and earthmoving work.
The first 500 metres of quay wall are expected to be completed by the end of this year, while the final part of the project is estimated to be completed 18 months later.
