The Port of Rotterdam Authority has, after completing a European tendering procedure, awarded the construction of some 2.4 kilometres of quays and earth-retaining walls in the Princess Amalia Harbour to the HOCHTIEF, Ballast Nedam and Van Oord contractor consortium.
The decision marks the start of the further development of the harbour located on Maasvlakte II, which will increase annual throughput capacity in the port of Rotterdam by four million standard containers (TEU).
Container terminals APM Terminals and RWG are already active in the Princess Amalia Harbour, with 1,500 and 1,700 metres of quay respectively. The construction of new deep-sea and inland shipping quays will allow these companies to develop the other sites around this harbour in time. Both terminal operators have already signed the relevant options. The project also includes the construction of a 160-metre waiting area for general use by inland shipping vessels.
The new building work will be on either side of the harbour, which is approximately 2.5 kilometres long. This total will include 1,825 metres of deep-sea quay, 160 metres of inland shipping quay and 360 metres of soil-retaining walls. Barring 725 metres, this means that the entire harbour basin, which went into use in 2015, will be enclosed. The completion of the first 500 metres of quay wall is expected in late 2022. The final part of the project will be completed no more than eighteen months later.
In addition to the construction of the quays, which will have a retaining height of 29 metres, the work also involves dredging the quays to a depth of more than 20 metres below sea level. In addition, a rear crane track will be built on piles over a distance of approximately 1.8 kilometres for the rear legs of the container cranes that will be used here.
The quays will be state-of-the-art. For example, they will be fitted with a wide range of sensors to monitor forces and any deformation. In addition, ECOncrete blocks will be used at two locations to act as artificial reefs and encourage biodiversity below the water.