Port of Moerdijk and Van den Herik-Sliedrecht signed a multi-year agreement on Thursday, June 19, to perform maintenance dredging work in the Port of Moerdijk ports. CEO Paul Dirix of the port authority and director Jan Huijbers of Van den Herik marked the start of the cooperation with a signing ceremony.

The agreement has a term of four years and offers the possibility of extension for another four years. The work is aimed at ensuring sufficient water depth of the fairway so that the Moerdijk ports remain accessible to shipping.

Periodic maintenance for optimal accessibility
During the year, Van den Herik will gauge the fairway in all insertion ports four times. Based on these measurements, a targeted dredging campaign will be drawn up in consultation with the port authority to address any bottlenecks. The use of a specialized dredging kit makes it possible to restore the depth of the harbors with great accuracy.

A dredging kit for excess silt consists of a crane barge equipped with advanced positioning systems. This vessel removes dredge from the water bottom and loads it into its own barge or an adjacent barge. The dredge is then checked for suitability for reuse or else taken to a designated storage depot, such as at the Sassenplaat in the Hollands Diep opposite Port of Moerdijk.

Upon completion of the work, the affected port locations will be re-pierced to verify that the required depths have been restored.

Cooperation based on experience and precision
Van den Herik is a renowned hydraulic engineering company that has been active in the maintenance of rivers and ports since 1946. With this cooperation, Moerdijk Port Authority consciously chooses an experienced and innovative partner that has the right resources and expertise for specialized dredging work.

Paul Dirix – CEO Port of Moerdijk: “A well-maintained port is essential for the safety and accessibility of our logistics hubs. With Van den Herik we bring in a reliable partner who knows what it takes to keep our infrastructure in top condition.”

Jan Huijbers – Director Van den Herik-Sliedrecht also expresses his satisfaction with the cooperation: “We are looking forward to contributing to robust docks in Port of Moerdijk in the years to come. Working with water is our passion and as hydraulic engineers we are ready with our knowledge and equipment to also carry out every campaign in Moerdijk efficiently and carefully.”

The team involved in the realization of the cooperation, with seated from left to right: director Jan Huijbers (Van den Herik-Sliedrecht) and CEO Paul Dirix (Moerdijk Port Authority), and standing from left to right: executor Herman van Kampen, regional manager for the Southern Netherlands Maurice Koelmans (Van den Herik-Sliedrecht) and manager of Infrastructure and Management Henk Schakenraad (Moerdijk Port Authority)