The Netherlands: Boskalis Consortium to Realize Ambitious Waterfront Project at Harderwijk

The Waterfront consortium, formed by Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. (Boskalis) and the TBI companies Synchroon and Koopmans Bouwgroep, is to realize the ambitious Waterfront project of the Dutch municipality of Harderwijk. Boskalis will execute all the civil engineering and underground infrastructural work involved. Synchroon and Koopmans Bouwgroep are responsible for the commercial development of the ca 40 hectare area. The value of this project to Boskalis is in excess of € 50 million. A couple of years ago the project ran into delays as a result of planning procedures and the uncertain economic outlook. Good cooperation between all the parties involved enabled the innovative redevelopment of the plan. Work is scheduled to start in the first quarter of 2012 and is set to last at least six years.

This development is an important impulse to the attractiveness of Harderwijk from a residential and recreational perspective. Businesses and industries currently situated between the old town and the Veluwerand-lake will be relocated to a new industrial area. The old industrial port area will be redeveloped to accommodate both residential, shopping and recreational facilities, on and around the waterfront. Furthermore, the boulevard will be developed into an appealing area connecting the old city centre and the Veluwerand-lake.

Boskalis will deploy wet and dry earth-moving equipment for this project. In the first quarter of 2012, Boskalis will start with the creation of the ‘Beach Island’ (Strandeiland), thereby creating the only sandy public beach of the city. At the same time, the existing marina will be relocated and a visitors’ mooring and a port for the old fleet of fishing boats will be created. The attractive boulevard connecting the old city centre, the waterfront and the nearby Dolfinarium theme park will extend all the way to a new residential area called ‘The Islands’ (De Eilanden) and ‘The Beacons’ (De Bakens) which are yet to be created.

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 including the construction and maintenance of ports and waterways, land reclamation, coastal defense and riverbank protection. Boskalis offers a wide variety of marine services through SMIT and also has strategic partnerships in the Middle East (Archirodon) and in offshore services (Smit Lamnalco). The company holds important home market positions in and outside of Europe. Boskalis has a versatile fleet of over 1,100 units and operates in around 65 countries across six continents. Including its share in partnerships, Boskalis has approximately 14,000 employees.

[mappress]

Source: boskalis, November 2, 2011