Largest beachfill project in Dutch history

Large parts of the beach on the west side of the Dutch Wadden Island Ameland disappears in the sea every year due to wind, waves and currents.

That is why Boskalis carried out a major beach nourishment campaign this summer for the client Rijkswaterstaat.

The extra sand was required to ensure a wide, strong and safe beach for Ameland that will protect the island from the effects of extreme weather events and rising sea levels and provide additional space for recreational purposes.

“With previous nourishments, most recently in 2019 (2.4 million m3), we were able to keep the coast in place. Because the coast continues to wear away at this location, we need constant nourishment to stay protected,” said Rijkswaterstaat in the release.

The Ameland beach replenishment scheme is one of the largest sand nourishments along the Dutch coast. Using three hopper dredgers, Boskalis dredged 3 million cubic meters of sand to strengthen the shoreline.