Boskalis has received the conditional contract award for a major dike reinforcement, river widening and area development in the Netherlands, namely the project Meanderende Maas, according to the company's release. The project is 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 value of this two-phase contract for Boskalis amounts to approximately EUR 160 million.
Between the towns of Ravenstein and Lith, Boskalis will reinforce the primary flood defense over a distance of 26 kilometers on behalf of the Aa and Maas Water Board and the cooperating parties in the project. This dike protects the hinterland against high water from the Meuse river as a result of heavy rainfall and meltwater from the Meuse basin. Boskalis will also widen the river and redevelop an area of around 500 hectares in the floodplain between the dike and the river to create a high-quality ecological landscape that will be attractive for the development of flora and fauna, for recreational purposes and boosts the economy.
The project has a plan development phase and an execution phase, the latter of which is expected to commence mid-2023 with the project completion anticipated five years later.
Boskalis is actively involved in the national Flood Protection Program and is currently working with partners to strengthen the Markermeer dikes, the IJssel dike between Zwolle and Olst and the IJssel dike at Krimpenerwaard.
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. This dike reinforcement project is aimed at protecting welfare in large parts of the provinces of Noord-Brabant and Gelderland and combatting the consequences of extreme weather related to climate change. With its ground-breaking 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.