The renewed sea quay in Den Helder is future-proof, innovative and ready to take on the big jobs
‘Het Nieuwe Werk’ quay, part of the Port of Den Helder, will receive a major makeover. The sea quay is an important location within the port of Den Helder but has suffered severe damage due to microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC). As a result, the quay is in such poor condition that it is being completely replaced. Iv is involved in the realisation of the project from A to Z, from the initial inspection to the supervision of the implementation and all the steps in between.
Microbiologically influenced corrosion is a well-known phenomenon in various industries. It is corrosion where metal has been (temporarily) in contact with non-sterile water. A sea quay will constantly be exposed to this due to the presence of seawater. If certain micro-organisms are active in the sea, MIC can occur, a very rapid form of localised corrosion.
Iv began recalculating and inspecting the quay structure in 2016. The conclusion was clear: action needed to be taken. Iv then conducted a variant study examining renovation and new build options. Ultimately, the new build option was chosen mainly based on usability and lifetime costs. The costs per year of use – the ‘Het Nieuwe Werk’ quay has to last another sixty years – are much lower than with renovation.
Iv took care of the sketch design, the preliminary design, the final design, the implementation design and the final RAW specification. In October 2023, the work was officially started by contractor De Klerk Waterbouw, with which Iv works closely: Iv is intensively involved in the implementation work around management, supervision and back-office activities.
The design also addressed future-proofing, sustainability and climate adaptation, as well as innovative solutions for long-term protection of the sea quay to prevent a recurrence of MIC corrosion.
There are several options for preventing corrosion under water. Based on Iv’s advice, the Port of Den Helder decided to apply cathodic protection with impressed current to the underwater part of the quay. This innovative method, in which the quay is constantly under a slight electrical current, prevents corrosion on the steel parts of the sea quay. Thanks to this cathodic protection, the quay is expected to still be in excellent condition in 60 years. This is also a proven method used on offshore platforms where little or no corrosion damage has been found to occur.
The future has been considered not only in terms of possible (corrosion) damage but also in terms of future-proofing the port area. To remain competitive, the port of Den Helder must be able to accommodate larger seagoing vessels. The current seabed at the ‘Het Nieuwe Werk’ quay is 7 metres below NAP (Normaal Amsterdams Peil). The renewed quay has been designed to accommodate a depth of 9 metres below NAP, allowing for a potential 2-metre deepening of the seabed in the future. This was ruled out for the time being as the seabed around the Moorman Bridge in Den Helder could not be deepened.
In the context of sustainability, several conscious choices have been made concerning the use of materials. For example, materials such as paving on the quay are reused where possible. The Duurzaam GWW manual, the Omgevingswijzer and Ambitieweb were used to map the opportunities for reusing materials. In addition, the lighting on the quay is controlled smartly: when no one is present, the lights are dimmed, saving energy.
Iv is increasingly asked to act as an integral knowledge partner for complex infrastructure issues. For example, various disciplines are involved at the ‘Het Nieuwe Werk’ quay, including geotechnics, hydraulic engineering, concrete structures, steel and movable structures, construction monitoring, maintenance & inspections and site management & supervision. In this way, Iv contributes substantially to a future-proof, sustainable and innovative design and the subsequent implementation phase.
Wouter, managing director Infra and also COO of Iv, would be delighted to discuss this with you! Get in touch via +31 88 943 3200 or send a message.
