Shipping channel through the Vistula Spit
The approximately 180-hectares artificial island will serve exclusively as a natural area, a sanctuary for the local wildlife and migratory birds. About BESIX BESIX is a group based in Brussels, Belgium. It operates in 25 countries and on 5 continents, primarily in the construction sector. Iconic projects include Dubai's Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest tower, buildings of the European Parliament in Brussels as well as the Grand Egyptian Museum on the Giza Pyramid Plateau. The group is notably specialized in the construction of marine facilities such as breakwaters, jetties, quay walls, shore protection, canals, locks, and flood barriers. BESIX also carries on major environmental projects. Its ongoing works include the world’s first energy-neutral tunnel in the Netherlands, as well as sustainable water treatment and waste recycling facilities in the European Union an the Middle East. About NDI NDI Group is a Polish capital group with 100-percent Polish equity interest, present on the construction market for almost 30 years. The member companies of NDI Group operate in the areas of construction, real estate development, gas & oil, and power engineering. NDI’s main line of business focuses on construction, primarily in the capacity of the General Contractor. NDI erects buildings but also spe- cializes in the construction of infrastructure projects: roads, railway, and hydroengineering projects.
Technical & environmental requirements With regards to marine infrastructure works, BESIX has built multiple channels and locks in Belgium and in the Netherlands over the last 100 years. The company also builds major breakwaters and protective harbors, with recent projects in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Australia. In Poland, BESIX and NDI have built amongst other the second Gdańsk Container Terminal, in 2015 – 2016. The contractors have a renowned expertise in building infrastructure that comply with the highest environmental standards. This is the case of the Princess Mary Bridge, which was recently inaugurated on Sep- tember 28th 2019, a dual carriageway and a high bridge in a Natura 2000 area in Denmark, one of the most demanding countries regard- ing environmental norms. It was notably required to strictly adapt the works to the vegetation and the land and water wildlife. Similar measures will be rigorously applied on the Vistula Spit. For example, these include to adapt the planning and the works to the birds and bats breeding seasons and to the fish-spawning periods. On a technical level, the companies will use construction technologies that drastically reduce the need for drainage construction and the range of water turbidity, as well as the working methods and equipment which cause the lowest possible amount of noise, vibrations, and waves. The construction facilities and operations will also be adapted by strictly restricting them to the working area or using appropriate lighting in order to minimize disturbance for nocturnal animals (LED luminaires with an angle of inclination from 0 to 15 degrees and a temperature of 3000-4000 K).
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csengineermag.com february 2020
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