Julianakanaal expansion tackled as military operation by Van den Herik and Rijkswaterstaat

Van den Herik Sliedrecht is working with Rijkswaterstaat on the expansion of the Juliana Canal, which is part of the Maasroute, an important shipping route to ports in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. The canal is being made suitable for two-barge pushers (Class Vb vessels) 190 meters long, 11.4 meters wide and a draught of up to 3.5 meters. 

The Juliana Canal has been widened and deepened in several places over a length of 26 kilometers. "The last section of 4 kilometers between Berg and Obbicht is now up for grabs," says Jacques Timmermans of Rijkswaterstaat. As environment manager, he represents the interests of various stakeholders and is concerned with the progress of this construction project. "It sometimes feels like playing chess on several boards at once," says Jacques. "You have to deal with local residents, companies, Rijkswaterstaat itself, the construction parties involved and shipping. Then it's great that you can count on the knowledge and expertise of main contractor Van den Herik."

Military operation

Robin Koorengevel, project manager at Van den Herik: "Together with Rijkswaterstaat, we worked in a construction team to find solutions to carry out the work qualitatively, safely and with as little disruption as possible. Our approach almost looks like a military operation because of the accuracy and attention to detail and stakeholders required. It is crucial for the success of this project that we work together with the Department of Public Works." The Juliana Canal is special and requires a specific approach. Jacques: "The canal, constructed in the 1930s, has a complex subsoil with a lot of gravel and thick boulders, is located on and along the escarpment and close to the unique Kingbeek nature reserve. The expansion is necessary given the upgrading of the Maas route to class Vb shipping, the increasing size of ships and the more intensive use of the route." 

Work in the dry

The work needs to be done now AND it needs to be done right. Especially after a previous attempt was shut down in 2023 and shipping has to navigate there with speed restrictions and extra rules. Because of the safety risks, Minister Harbers made an irrevocable decision in March 2024 that Rijkswaterstaat may block the canal and the work may be done in the dry. Some
days after this decision, Van den Herik began preparations, both design work and permit applications.

Smart preparations and nuisance mitigation

"Leading up to the blockage, we already carried out as much work as possible using a well-thought-out work plan to minimize disruption and keep the blockage as short as possible," Robin explains. "We carried out dredging work at Born lock, so that a barge could lie alongside the dredging set, which can dispose of the sediment." Jacques explains that 1.2 million tons of soil will be released when the canal is deepened and widened. "Also, the work site and depot area have been set up and temporary work roads and bridge structures have been constructed to relieve the public road." Robin: "In March, we started the supply of 400,000 tons of crushed stone, which will lie on top of some 180,000 tons of gravel. In this way, we want to minimize any risks during the implementation period in advance and we are responding to the insistent desire of the surrounding area to limit the disruption to them. By working safely and quickly in the dry afterwards, shipping can soon continue its fairway."

Implementation and safety

Before draining the canal, Van den Herik built a dam. After which the fish are moved to a safe environment. After this, the widening and deepening works are carried out, such as excavating soil and applying a new water inhibiting layer with bentonite mats. This will be covered with gravel and large crushed stones. The robust construction underscores the goal of doing it right and solidly now so that the canal can withstand another hundred years or so. "We are working with three shifts simultaneously in three work sections," says Robin. "It's quite an operation to be working on such a narrow 60-meter stretch with many people and machines." Jacques: "It's like having five plasterers plastering a toilet, so you have to be very meticulous. Fortunately, Van den Herik has experience with this channel through previous work and we have every confidence in a good outcome."

Robin notes that such complex work normally requires one and a half to two years of preparation time. "The fact that we are now doing it in four months is only possible because we are working with Rijkswaterstaat and can count on several partners." Jacques understands that the temporary closure of the canal and the inconvenience to shipping and local residents in particular is very annoying, but stresses that the Juliana Canal will soon be future-proof again.