Lock renovation at Zaandam

Heijmans NV, based in Rosmalen the Netherlands, is described as a “listed property development, residential building, non-residential building, technical services and infrastructure company” and outside of the Netherlands also operates in Belgium and Germany. This €30m contract will see the company engage in a wide-ranging scope of work aimed at increasing the dimensions of the lock to accommodate larger vessels.

The inland waterways network is an essential part of the Netherlands commercial and leisure infrastructure, demanding constant maintenance and where required upgrading. The renovation of Wilhelmina lock forms part of the ‘Vaart in de Zaan’ (Navigation on the Zaan) programme, with the objective of making the Zaan accessible to inland vessels of the future.

The renovated lock will accommodate mixed traffic and be suitable for vessels up to and including CEMT Class Va (large Rhine vessels 95-110m LOA, 11.4m beam, 2.5-2.8m draught, 1,500-3,000 tonnes). Work will involve increasing passage width of the lock from 12m to 14m along with increasing the threshold length and depth of the lock chamber. Renovation work will also be carried out to the bridges. Planning is currently under way, work scheduled to commence this year, peaking in 2014. Completion of the project is planned for no later than May 2015.

Heijmans focuses on an integrated approach with their work, reflected in the scope of the contract which was awarded on the basis of a Design & Construct contract that also includes Economically Most Advantageous Tender (EMAT) aspects.