Dutch Minister Cora van Nieuwenhuizen of Infrastructure and Water Management and Ronald Paul, COO Port of Rotterdam Authority, launched the deepening of the Nieuwe Waterweg and the Botlek on Monday 26 March. Rijkswaterstaat and the Port of Rotterdam Authority will cooperate to ensure that sea-going vessels with a draught of 15 metres can reach the Botlek port.
The Nieuwe Waterweg, the canal between Rotterdam and the North Sea, was opened in 1872. The waterway will be deepened over a length of 25 kilometres, from Hoek van Holland to the Benelux tunnel, including the connecting Botlek port.
[smlsubform prepend=”GET THE SAFETY4SEA IN YOUR INBOX!” showname=false emailtxt=”” emailholder=”Enter your email address” showsubmit=true submittxt=”Submit” jsthanks=false thankyou=”Thank you for subscribing to our mailing list”]
The deepening process will last six months, and it will be carried out by Koninklijke Boskalis Westminster and Van der Kamp B.V.
The dredging work will take place in the same way as regular maintenance dredging in the ports and along the river. There will be no extra disturbance to the surroundings, shipping or the workers at the port.
Rijkswaterstaat will deepen the Nieuwe Waterweg and the Port of Rotterdam Authority will deepen the Botlek. The deepening will have three different contract depths:
- The depth of the Botlek will go from 4.5m to 15.90 m.
- Along the Nieuwe Waterweg, the first stretch from Hoek van Holland to Maassluis will be deepened from 15m to 16.20m.
- The second section up to the Benelux Tunnel will have a guaranteed depth of 16.40m. It used to be 14.5m. The additional 20 centimetres are connected to the lower salt content inland of the Nieuwe Waterweg which means ships need a greater water depth.
After the deepening, ships with a draught of up to 15 metres, will be able to sail into the Botlek port. Ships with a draught of maximum 14.90 metres can already sail through the Panama Canal, so New Panamax ships will be able to reach the Botlek.
