Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. (Boskalis) has acquired two major dike reinforcement projects in the Netherlands, namely the IJsseldijk Zwolle-Olst project and the Krachtige IJsseldijken Krimpenerwaard. The projects are part of the national Flood Protection Program in which the government and regional Water Boards work together to protect the Netherlands against flooding. Based on current estimates, the combined contract value for Boskalis amounts to approximately EUR 200 million.
Boskalis will reinforce the IJssel dike over a distance of almost thirty kilometers between Zwolle and Olst on behalf of the Drents Overijsselse Delta Water Board. The dike protects the residents of the Salland region against flooding from the river IJssel and the IJsselmeer lake.
Boskalis will also strengthen the IJssel dike at Krimpenerwaard over a distance of ten kilometers on behalf of the Schieland and Krimpenerwaard Water Board. The dike must provide protection against high water and flooding of the Hollandsche IJssel river and protects more than 200,000 residents and the economic value of the hinterland. This project will be carried out in joint venture with van Hattum en Blankevoort.
Both projects have a plan development phase and an execution phase resulting in a total project duration up to 2026. In addition to these projects, Boskalis is actively involved in the national Flood Protection Program and is currently working with partners to strengthen the Markermeer dikes and has recently completed the reinforcements of the Houtrib dike and the Wadden Sea dike between Eemshaven and Delfzijl.
Boskalis’ strategy is aimed at benefitting from key macro-economic factors which drive worldwide demand in our markets: expansion of the global economy, increase in energy consumption, global population growth and the challenges that go hand in hand with climate change. Both these dike projects are aimed at protecting welfare in large parts of the Netherlands and combatting the consequences of extreme weather related to climate change. With its groundbreaking activities and unique expertise, Boskalis is exceptionally positioned to play a significant societal role in creating and protecting welfare and advancing the energy transition.
Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. is a leading global services provider operating in the dredging, maritime infrastructure and maritime services sectors. The company provides creative and innovative all-round solutions to infrastructural challenges in the maritime, coastal and delta regions of the world. With core activities such as coastal defense, riverbank protection and land reclamation Boskalis is able to provide adaptive and mitigating solutions to combat the effects of climate change, such as extreme weather conditions and rising sea levels, as well as delivering solutions for the increasing need for space in coastal and delta regions across the world. The company facilitates the development of offshore energy infrastructure, including renewable wind energy. Boskalis is furthermore active in the construction and maintenance of ports, waterways, access channels and civil infrastructure, thus helping to facilitate trade flows and regional socio-economic development. In addition, Boskalis is a global marine salvage expert and has a number of strategic partnerships in harbor towage and terminal services (Keppel Smit Towage and Smit Lamnalco). With a versatile fleet of more than 700 vessels and floating equipment and 9,600 employees, including associates, Boskalis is creating new horizons around the world.