The new port of Rotterdam is protected against the severest of storms and wave attacks.
Rotterdam councillor Jeannette Baljeu (Port, Transport and Regional Economy) laid the last concrete block in the block dam forming the hard sea wall of Maasvlakte 2.
The dam consists of 19,558 concrete blocks, each weighing in at more than 40,000 kg. The blocks come from the sea wall of the existing Maasvlakte. Building consortium PUMA had a special crane built to shift the blocks: the Blockbuster. The Blockbuster has been working day and night since April 2011 to place the concrete cubes in the dam with an accuracy of 15 cm.
In spring this year, PUMA will deliver the complete hard sea wall to the Port of Rotterdam Authority. This keeps the construction work of Maasvlakte 2 precisely on schedule. On Saturday 28 April, the special theme day ‘Block dam completed!’ will take place at the FutureLand information centre. It will then be possible for the public to visit the block dam for the first time.
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Dredging Today Staff, April 26, 2012; Image: Maasvlakte2