Case Studies

Rotterdam Water Pier

The Port of Rotterdam is the first European port to have installed SEAPILE composite marine piling and SEATIMBER composite marine timber in its facilities.

In November 1997, the SEAPILE and SEATIMBER materials were installed on a pier used by water supply ships in the Rotterdam Koushaven. These ships, owned and operated by Watervoorziening Hatenboer-Neptunus, BV, in Schiedam, Holland, take on fresh water at the pier several times each day as they service the many vessels in Rotterdam Harbor.

Port personnel selected 16" (400mm) diameter SEAPILE composite marine piling for this installation, as well as 10" x 10" (250mm x 250mm) SEATIMBER composite marine timber for use as wale beams. Prior to making the selection, the port’s engineering department performed an analysis of the strength and energy absorption of the SEAPILE piles compared to the tropical hardwood piles (azobe wood) previously used. The analysis concluded that the SEAPILE system had superior energy absorption, and would also help the port comply with the Dutch government’s policy of reducing the use of tropical hardwood.

Hakkers Werkendam, BV, of Werkendam, Holland, performed the installation. Hugo van Pelt, operations supervisor for the project, reported that the installation went smoothly and that he looked forward to working with the SEAPILE and SEATIMBER materials in the future.

According to crew members of the water supply ships, no damage has occurred to either the ships or the pier since installation, noting that the former azobe wood construction did not last as long as the SEAPILE and SEATIMBER materials have now lasted without sustaining damage.

For more information, please contact Seaward or its representative in Holland, Robin Jansen of P. C. Jansen Marine Agencies (Tel. +31-(0)50-501-8533 or www.jansen-ma.com).