In the first weekend of April, building consortium PUMA shut a temporary dam that forms a connection between the northern point of the Rotterdam World Gateway terminal and the soft sea wall.
This compartmentalisation dam closes the Prinses Alexiahaven off from the other port basins on Maasvlakte 2.
The port basin has been closed off to reduce the water mass of Maasvlakte 2 temporarily. This will make it easier to close the sea wall in July. The total amount of water that flows in and out of the hole in t he sea wall with every tide will be reduced quite considerably. The building consortium considers the closing of the compartmentalisation dam as a dress rehearsal for the final closing of the sea wall in July.
Before the port basin was closed, the hole was closed as much as possible. At the turning of the tide, the hole was finally closed at low tide. This was achieved through the combined efforts of a trailing suction hopper dredger and bulldozers and loaders on land. The compartmentalisation dam will be opened again after the hole in the sea wall is closed this summer.
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Dredging Today Staff, April 27, 2012; Image: maasvlakte2