Houthaven Amsterdam: Expansion of waiting areas for marine navigation

The project

The Port of Amsterdam has had a shortage of waiting areas for inland and seagoing vessels for years. To solve this problem, the Port of Amsterdam commissioned Iv to design and prepare draft specifications for new waiting areas. The assignment covered three locations: two along the North Sea Canal at the Haparandadam and an extension in the Nieuwe Houthaven. The sites on the North Sea Canal received additional waiting areas, including access stairs and gangways, for seagoing vessels. The site in the Nieuwe Houthaven consists of tubular piles with bollards for push barges.

Iv provided the preliminary design, final design and RAW specifications for the structures and submitted the permit application.

The challenge

One of the main challenges of this project was to achieve the required depth for the site in the Nieuwe Houthaven, which involved dredging the bottom. Iv used a 3D scan of the bottom to draw up an accurate dredging plan. In addition, it was essential to ensure the safety of the area, especially as it was suspected that one of the sites contained a bomb from the Second World War. Iv, therefore, coordinated an extensive unexploded ordnance investigation to ensure the tubular piles could be installed safely.

The impact

Extending the waiting areas in the Houthaven improves the accessibility and efficiency of the Port of Amsterdam. The new waiting areas, including facilities such as access stairs and gangways, increase the capacity and functionality of the port. Thanks to Iv’s detailed design and careful preparation, the new waiting areas are fully operational, safe and future proof, contributing to the further development of the Port of Amsterdam.