OpenIJ
The Noordersluis lock in IJmuiden needs replacing. The aim of a new, larger sealock at the entrance of the North Sea Canal is to make the Amsterdam port region more accessible.
Rijkswaterstaat has awarded the contract for the construction of the new lock to contractor consortium OpenIJ, consisting of VolkerWessels, DIF and BAM-PGGM.
The ‘Nieuwe Grote Zeesluis’ (New Large Sea Lock), which will be built next to the existing sea locks, will have a width of 70 metres, a length of 500 metres and a depth of 18 metres.
Within OpenIJ, Visser & Smit Hanab is responsible for coordinating all temporary and definitive connections on the construction site. This means that existing cables and pipes of network operators must be rerouted, and the new lock must be provided with new cables and pipes, which are then connected to the existing buildings.
Four HDD's
For the purpose of this rerouting and construction of new pipelines, four horizontal directional drillings were performed underneath the locks complex.
The drillings were made through the 250-tonne rig over lengths of 911 metres (twice), 498 metres and 430 metres. HDPE casings with diameters of 200 mm and four casings with diameters of 160 mm (HDD1a +1b), 560 mm (HDD2) and 450 mm (HDD3) were inserted, in which various cables and pipelines were installed.
