The Sand Motor, an innovative and sustainable alternative to the traditional method of coast protection, is an initiative of the Dutch province of South Holland and RWS (Rijkswaterstaat).
The project was a joint venture with Boskalis, with Van Oord accounting for 50%. Van Oord constructed the artificial peninsula by placing a large quantity of sand in the form of a hook off the coast at Ter Heijde.
It extends 1km into the sea and is 2km wide where it joins the shore. Trailing suction hopper dredgers picked up the sand ten kilometers off the coast and took it to the right place.
Over the next 20 years, wind, waves, and currents will spread the sand along the coast of the Dutch province of South Holland, forming 35 ha of new beach and dunes which will provide protection against a rise in sea level and extra room for nature and recreation.
This video presents the scientific program NatureCoast focused on interdisciplinary research on the mega-nourishment Zandmotor Delfland in the Netherlands.
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Dredging Today Staff