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Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, Energy Minister Tinne Van der Straeten and State Secretary for Economic Recovery and Strategic Investments Thomas Dermine visited the site in Vlissingen recently, where caissons are being constructed for Princess Elisabeth Island.
A Belgian consortium comprising DEME and Jan De Nul (TM Edison) is building the foundations of the energy island on behalf of system operator Elia Transmission.
According to DEME, the first of the 23 caissons is almost finished and will be immersed in the North Sea this summer.
When the caissons are ready, a semi-submersible vessel will transport them further down the harbour, where they will be placed in the water and temporarily stored. They will then be moved to their final location in the North Sea this summer (weather permitting).
The caissons will form the outer walls of the energy island, said DEME.
Also, the island itself is set to be created using approximately 2.3 million m³ of sand, extracted locally.
DEME added that the island will be finished in late 2026, when the electrical equipment can start to be installed.